


Show Me You're Vulnerable

by Cheshire37



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Loss of Powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-07-10 05:15:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19900408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheshire37/pseuds/Cheshire37
Summary: Kara and Lena, friends..BEST friends for over 3 years, but now? After everything is left on the table, secrets no more, could that bond remain intact or unravel in it's wake. (Brought on by the Season 5 preview released yesterday.)





	1. Chapter 1

Questions swam through her nervous mind, unsure as to why her best friend’s tone had been so grim over the phone when Kara received the call ten minutes prior. She hated that side, especially when it had been directed at her in the cape in the past. Yet throughout the last year, hell the former years in their lives, Lena had been the one to save her in more ways than one and be the bigger hero between the two of them. Kara may have been the one to stop the villains, but it wouldn’t have been possible without her best friend by her side.  


When the call ended, her heart was hammering in her chest and Kara felt as if this meeting of sorts wasn’t going to be a pleasant one. Instead of bailing, she gathered the little composure she could muster up, firing off a text to her sister that Sisters Night might be postponed and after ten minutes, while Kara changed into one of her formal reporter outfits, she slid her phone and wallet into her jacket pocket preparing to head out when Alex returned the message with a tinge of relief, continuing to the garage to drive over to CATCO.  


“Okay..this is it.” Kara was determined not to chicken out this time, ready to unlock those secrets to her best friend and clear the air once and for all. She didn’t want to lose Lena, feeling as if the businesswoman had been the biggest rock to ground her throughout those followers that had revolted against aliens and her sister’s wipe of memory. Kara wanted to express the gratitude and prove once more she would be there no matter what for her, especially after the situation with Lena’s brother.  


Not wasting a moment at all, the blonde had entered the media building, surprised that not one employee was around, minus Lena herself who seemed to be typing away on one of the three computers on the desk. That woman was a workaholic and Kara regretted not bringing dinner with her, pretty certain the dang CEO hadn’t eaten anything from the looks of her posture. She didn’t want to be rude and when she stood before the glass encove she knocked to alert her attendance. The raven haired beauty looked up, pushing back her chair and rising to walk around the desk and greet her.  


“I shoulda brought you food, cause I bet you haven’t had anything all day am I right?” There was no smile on Lena’s face and it had Kara slightly swallowing down the lump in her throat. “Are you okay?”  


“Not really.” The kryptonian didn’t like this at all, reminded of that tone from their brief conversation on the phone. Then the woman came closer, stopping when there was about three feet between them. There was a stoic expression on Lena’s face, partnered with a hardened gaze. “We need to chat.” Those four words were empty and in a show of normality, when her phone was set down on the desk behind her, Kara placed her own along with her keys on the table by the couch, removing her coat to set it down too. “What do you see.” It wasn’t a question, so much as a request for a truth. The blonde swallowed down another lump in her throat.  


“I see my best friend working way too hard and not taking care of herself enough. Lena you really shouldn’t work yourself into the ground so much.” Kara told her, hoping that was what she wanted to know, but the shake of head had her own slightly tilting in confusion. “That’s not it?”  


“What does my face, my eyes tell you Kara.” The lightbulb must have went on finally and Kara felt so stupid all of a sudden. “Well?”  


“Is it Lex? I’m sorry all that happened Lee. That wasn’t fair at all to you and you deserve to not have everything thrown at you all the time. What would help to make you feel better? OH! We could go to that new restaurant that opened up last week! I heard it’s pretty good.” She smiled until another shake of the CEO’s head had her smile faltering.  


“Was any of it ever real Kara?” Something about those words had her frozen on the spot, unable to respond for some reason. “Was it?” Her best friend brought her hand to her face and slid her fingers along her eyes, causing a gasp from Zor-El when the beautiful greens faded and a strange icy blue took their place. They were glowing, just like hers did when she used her heat vision, but void of any feeling and with their presence, Kara unconsciously took a slow step back. “Your free access to my L-Corp office has been revoked.” Her own blues shivered and her nerves were triggering a response Kara was already hating. “You are no longer allowed in my building and I have sold CATCO Media back to Catherine Grant. She will be sending someone to replace my presence and manage this company. I am going to ask you again, what do you see here.”  


“You..know.” It donned on Kara the reason for this frigid cold behavior and she once more took a step back. “I had come to tell..”  


“Shut the fuck up. You are a liar and deceiver, a traitor and a lead on to appease to that side of me I long considered dead. You have reminded me why Luthors do not trust kryptonians. Sam was never one, just inhabited by a life force of an alien existence that holds no ounce of respect in the air I breathe.” Lena stepped closer until Kara felt the glass wall at her back, realizing the businesswoman had slightly turned them until the doorway wasn’t behind her. The minute her face was a foot away from her own, Kara felt her world crumbling. “Congratulations.. you’ve taken away ALL of my humanity, Kara Zor-El of Krypton.”  


“Lena..please..” She felt the tears ready to spill from her eyes and leave her own humanity in shambles. Not even paying attention to the action, too broken by this turn of events, a hand firmly grabbed her chin to keep her head in place. Kara didn’t even bother using her powers, feeling less than anything close to the girl of steel. There was a painful sting when the finger and thumb rings pressed into her skin and already she knew what that meant. Kryptonite.  


“Your words mean nothing. Feel this burn and know it comes from the last of my feelings you stripped away by you making a mockery of me in every way. I will not kill you or try to physically hurt you like my brother. You got the last of my emotions Supergirl..hate.” The grip on her chin tightened and Kara just took the pain like a knife to her heart. Lena leaned in and with those empty yet powerful eyes, she felt her soul splinter and turn to dust in their stare. “Leave. I never wish to see you again. I never want your presence in any form around me. Go run to your lying sister and share with her just what I’ve told you. Tell bitch boy Olsen he isn’t allowed to contact me again either. Any of your hero squad comes near me I will have them detained and sued. Leave. You don’t even deserve a goodbye.”  


Her chin was let go and somehow they had turned again, with Lena walking passed her and with that departure Kara let every ounce of the pain she now felt hit her like a freight train. She broke in every way, unable to take anything anymore, hitting her knees from shaky weak legs, hitting her hands next. She hung her head with her entire body racked in relentless sobs. Lena had left and taken what light Kara had with her, tearing it apart with each step away from her.  


She didn’t know, nor wanted to know how much time had passed since those last words were heard, finally able to rise enough to stagger to the desk and see the picture of Lena, Alex and her torn up and scattered all over one of the keyboards. Kara looked up some and noticed Lena’s phone by the mouse, showing the factory reset feature, knowing what that meant. Forms were next to it, signed NDA to keep her identity a secret. Emptiness engulfed Kara even more and she dashed out of the office with the papers, not bothering to grab her phone, keys or jacket, taking to the skies and directly to her sister’s place of employment.  


No one had prepared for Supergirl’s entry or departure, except for Agent Vasquez who looked down at the papers on the desk in the Director’s office she was using the computer for. Susan could only guess what this meant, immediately calling her boss to notify her of the situation. The discarded remains of Kara’s clothing had been left on the office floor, leaving only Supergirl to the darkness of the sky overlooking the city.  


She flew as far away from National City as she could, breaking the sound barrier with her exit and heading straight for the Fortress. The minute she had landed, unlocked everything and shut it behind her, Kara ripped the com out of her ear and crushed it in her shaking hand. It had been kryptonian proof but with this grasp of power she had experienced when the Red Daughter had become one with her, it was merely a child’s toy now to the strength she had inherited with that merge.  


Something in her snapped and when Kalex approached she had already screamed demands for the fortress to temporarily freeze his functions. When he dropped, she staggered to the center of the fortress only to hit her knees and unleash every ounce of her agony from her lips and eyes, never once letting up on what she intended to do. When she could barely speak, with the last of commands, she had red lights bathe her in their glow to remove the last of her strength. Her heat vision ended, the glow of purple gone in an instant and grateful to her installation of the red sun lamps for dire emergencies to the future if she ever turned into something dark like Lex.  


“I...I..de...serve..this..” Kara’s eyes rolled back and she fell forward to collapse to the icy ground, spent and now unconscious to her own sentencing of hellish nightmares. She didn’t want to be anything of a hero anymore, left lost and broken from her own demise. Lena had shown her the true meaning of what it felt like to be stripped of all power and become nothing but utterly...vulnerable and lifeless..

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Thank you for coming.” Alex motioned the last of the gang into her space dad’s place and shut the door when everyone was seated, turning the lock quickly. “There are circumstances that have come to light and I will not make the same mistake I forced upon my sister.” She stated, walking over to the group and putting her hands on the back of one of the chairs. Alex’s head was down, her foolish choices causing this havoc, looking up into worried gazes including her girlfriend’s and took a long deep breath letting it out slowly. “My Co-Director Vasquez called me about an hour ago, so I called J’onn to have you all meet me here. This is the only place we can chat in privately and I think it’s safe to say that we screwed up J’onn.”  


“Cryptic much?” Nia couldn’t help but pop off with, having her boyfriend slightly squeeze her hand. She returned it and met Alex’s nervous eyes. “Alex??”  


“Kelly, this needs to stay here and I trust you to keep every secret we spill tonight.” Dr. Olsen nodded, locking her gaze onto the posture of the Director. Danvers took another deep breath and looked to her space dad for confirmation. “Do it.” J’onn stood and revealed his true form to Kelly who gasped with widening eyes. Brainy used his ring to levitate and Nia focussed her powers until another form of her showed up across the room. Alex came around when everyone settled again, studying Kelly’s reaction. “We majorly...fucked up.”  


“To protect Supergirl’s identity, we forbade her from revealing it to others and by doing so the person she had grown closest to, especially when I had to wipe Alex’s mind, has left this family.” J’onn continued as calmly as possible, shifting back to his human form. “In order to protect Supergirl from Baker finding out who she is, everyone that knew of her identity had to have their memories erased. Alex’s bond with her was severed drastically, leading to voids in her mind and creating a dangerous rift in the process. When Supergirl fought the one known as Red Daughter, those memories returned and she watched my other daughter take her last breath.” He gauged the body language of the psychologist, seeing no malice there. “Supergirl’s real name is Kara Zor-El. She was brought to the Danvers home by Superman, her cousin. She became part of that family and most of all Alex’s sister.”  


“Kara’s..” Kelly was floored by the news, more so than the others revealing themselves to her. She looked up at her girlfriend who nodded, an expression far more serious than she had ever seen, silent tears rolling down her face. “Those visions.”  


“Were memories. Your brother was sent by her cousin to look after her and along the way he became Guardian. He’s probably out doing so right now, that’s why he most likely didn’t answer his phone to join us. Vasquez informed me that NDA forms had been dropped off by my sister, who she noticed had been crying. Lena knows. I haven’t been able to reach either of them and Kara’s tracker is off. She’s not responding to the com, nor my calls for her. I believe that by our damn decision to force Kara to keep her secret from Lena, she might have lost her best friend in the process. She was going to tell her at game night and I stopped her from doing so.” The guilt was tearing Alex up, who wiped the tears away, making her feel as if they were selfish and too damn stubborn to allow her sister to tell the one person that had grown closer to Kara than she had for years.  


“If she knows, her reaction was probably a negative one. Her first thought will be betrayal and anger, perhaps a bit of stupidity for her lack of realization. Her intelligence and creativity is uncanny and by this mask ripped away..she..”  


“I know.” Alex stopped the therapist in her tracks, needing not the lingo of one right now but her girlfriend instead and looked up to let out the loudest of calls. “KARA!! SUPERGIRL!!” She yelled and with her own voice raised, others joined in. Before she knew it, Kelly was doing the same to get the hero to come to them. However no appearance was made. It was terrifying Alex to no end, starting to think the worst with each passing moment. A knock had everyone suddenly quiet and Danvers practically flew to the door. She flung it open and was met with a set of steel greens that had her own chestnuts trembling. “Lena!”  


“Hello Director Danvers.” She stepped directly into Alex’s personal space, the loudest of slaps erupting from the doorway, alerting the group. They all noticed Danvers’ head turned and the Luthor’s glowing orbs. All emerald tints were gone and another form of them were left in the eyes of Lena’s. Nia was ready to jump to action, held back by Kelly who had grabbed her wrist. “So long.” Just like that, the CEO turned around and walked away. Alex was left to an unimaginable shock, a sharp and rather painful sting to her face, a different trail of moisture along the side of it and a fear that Lena might have done something to her sister. Without even a warning, J’onn flew out and after the woman to find out what was going on, even if it was forced on her. Apparently, the Martian Manhunter had those same concerns too and left the gang silent and stunned.  


“If...she..hurt..” Alex growled, wiping the new path away, with her anger flaring even more at the sign of blood on her fingers. The bitch struck her with something and damn it throbbed.  


“I have an idea.” Nia told them and sat down on the floor to relax her body, shutting her eyes. She let her mind float, part of her disappearing without any of them noticing her departure. Time to test the waters..

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dreamer’s form, not Nia’s normal one, appeared inside the Fortress of Solitude, eternally grateful that she still had full access to every bit of the place. That’s when she saw the figure on the icy floor and felt her own heart stop right then and there. Immediately she returned to her body and when she did, every bit of her frame shook from what she had witnessed. When her eyes reopened, they slid right into the Director’s and tears rolled down her face.  


“Nia?”  


“She…” There was no composure left and her body lunged to the side to puke. Alex’s own frame fell to the floor and with it Kelly knelt down to her as Brainy did the same for Nia. J’onn returned and with his re-entry, he punched the wall with part of his strength. When the Martian noticed Dreamer crying, he quickly came to her aid. “Fortress.” Nia spoke, watching him fly back out the door again. Alex put both hands on the sides of her head and slowly lifted it. “She..”  


“I know this will be difficult, but focus on something in this room. Drown out everything else and keep your eyes on that object. Count to ten in your head and breathe slowly, counting ten more in reverse to release it just as slowly.” Kelly instructed Nia, who nodded and found an item to put her attention on.  


“Better. That worked really well.” She took one of Alex’s hands with her own. “She’s at the fortress and there are..” A frantic voice of the Martian’s came over the speaker Brainy had turned on with their concerns growing.  


“Bringing Supergirl back to the DEO Director Danvers! She’s without her powers and in a grave state of hypothermia! Director, I will pick you up after I drop her off in the med bay.”  


The group was already out the door, Alex’s com in her ear, the necessity to lock up behind them foregone with the news of the girl of steel, powerless and susceptible to any and all illnesses humanly possible. She knew just how sick her sister could get in these situations, having dealt with this in the past when Kara blew out her powers.  


Alex was already on her bike, Kelly behind her with helmets locked in place. Brainy had taken to the skies with Nia and J’onn appearing before the four of them. He wasn’t the only one that had shown watching Guardian pull up beside Danvers on his own bike.  


“Snap it?” James spoke behind the head gear and Alex nodded with them hauling ass towards the DEO. They didn’t care if any authorities showed themselves, in no way able to catch their bikes at the dangerous speeds they were taking the streets at.  


“GET HERE QUICK DIRECTOR!! HER PULSE IS DROPPING TOO FAST!! SHE’S BARELY BREATHING!!” Susan’s scream in Alex’s ear had the Director saying to hell with it, flipping open the cover and switching over to NOS. She looked over at Guardian who matched it immediately with maximum velocity forcing the need to hurry and get to the DEO pronto. The guards at the garage saw them coming and quickly had the door up to allow their entrance. Danvers had the Martian pull her girl off the back and she skidded into her own parking spot, practically burning indentions into the asphalt. Olsen had done the same, both shouting to open the doors, to hell with protocol to check them in.  


Alex was booking it towards the medical wing, James at her side in just as much haste. Brainy and Nia were already there and J’onn had flown Kelly there. The group froze when a familiar blonde came into view and a mask was kept over Supergirl’s face. The numbers were just as frantic as the medical personnel. Dr. Hamilton was trying to keep everyone calm enough to do their damn job. Amelia locked eyes with Alex, who was sliding on the proper attire, gloving up and jumping in to help immediately. With a quick rundown of the symptoms and state the kryptonian’s body was in, the Director switched places with one of the nurses. Luckily, Kara’s frame wasn’t spasming in full blown tremors brought on by held back seizures, but her core temp was dangerously low to the point her skin looked far too blue.  


Nurses and assistants were working on regulating Supergirl’s temperature slowly, so as not to shock her system any further than it had already endured. Danvers then noticed the two bruises on her sister’s face, specifically on and under her chin. There were patterns to them and Alex pointed them out to Amelia, pretty certain where they came from. On a quick gander at the screen showing the zoom in with their camera, she noticed those same markings on the side of her face, warranting absolute rage she forced down for now to keep all focus on her sister. Regardless, the bitch would pay.  


J’onn and Brainy were already out the door when Alex had forced the thought to her space dad, leaving Kelly and Nia to look on behind the glass wall. They gripped each other’s hands, trying to center enough to be that support to the Danvers sisters. Dreamer had never seen Supergirl like this, merely told what had happened after the fight with Red Daughter. So she told Dr. Olsen about it, with the other Olsen helplessly looking on, listening attentively to what was being said. When both siblings heard the words Kara stopped breathing they felt their own hitch in response to them.  


“Stop! It’s at 96. Let her body calm. Her pulse is down, her blood pressure too.” Amelia told her staff, who did as they were told, leaving Alex and her before the unconscious kryptonian with a mask still on her face. “Keep it steady Danvers.” The Director nodded, hugging the doctor who stepped away to get cleaned up. The minute Alex pulled up a stool, after discarding her own gloves and gown, she took one of her sister’s cold hands and dropped her head on her sister’s stomach, beginning to cry. No one dared to enter, letting the Danvers duo have this time without any further disruption.  


She reached up, removing the glow from her eyes and returning the green that she had been born with. No expression was visible on her face, but her hues were watching the two in the room, especially the one one the bed.  


“Don’t..tell them.” Susan nodded, warned by the taser at her side, not saying a word and promising until the woman left the building and didn’t come back. The access badge was left in her hand, given to her by Lena, along with a flash drive for the Director. The CEO took one last look at the hero, not regretting her decisions tonight and walked to the exit of the building never to glance back. With her mind spoken, not her heart, she brought her hand to her face as the icy glow returned to her orbs. It was done and she surrendered to that Luthor isolation, the way it should be, the way it should have been all along. Lena would NEVER be that vulnerable fool again..

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“SHE WHAT??!!” Apparently keeping that from her boss had been the dumbest idea Agent Vasquez ever had. That had been four days ago.  


Ever since then, Brainy and Dreamer had been out on hero duties, with Guardian and the Martian Manhunter replacing them when need be. James had contacted Miss Grant, informing her of the littlest in need to know information. He was well aware that Cat knew who Kara was, uncaring about that at the moment, too concerned about his friend and the state of mind she was in. James felt as if this was his doing, not keeping better tabs on the lady to his once gentleman side. He had seen a side that Kara had, this caring bit that Lex had never shown at all, at least not while he was around. He was grateful for his sister back in his life, parked and taking up a new home in National City. She was working alongside the DEO, offering comfort to the group, most of all to the Danvers sisters. James couldn’t have asked for a better match for Kelly, none other than Alex herself, a noble friend he indeed trusted with his sister’s heart.  


Alex apologized, for probably the thirtieth time to her girlfriend, who was supportive regardless and understanding under the circumstances. The fragile kryptonian from another planet, wasn’t Earth’s champion at the moment, but the lost broken girl that had entered the Director’s life as a sister she never expected to have. Giving the heads up and go ahead to her pals in their well-respected fields, the two stormed into the L-Corp building only to find Miss Luthor’s secretary ready with private security guards and five lawyers threatening to have them arrested for trespassing if they didn’t leave. Neither woman had been able to get a word in edgewise, nor an audience with the CEO, hell not even a phone call. When one decided to say screw it and stormed up to kick the woman’s office door open, she was met with two officers and a warrant for their detaining.  


The other could only look on in horror, as someone in the military and for that matter having worked for the DEO twice, was carted away in handcuffs. All the way down the stairs and out of the building, she was screaming at them to remove the restraints or she would have their badges and pensions. The threats weren’t appreciated and with them, the person was practically thrown in the back of the patrol car roughly. They turned to the one without handcuffs on, warning her to remain off the Luthor’s property or she too would be arrested.  


Watching as they drove off with the help, she picked up her phone to inform the commander in charge, so to speak, and their failed attempt to haul the Luthor in for questioning. One call back, after two other calls were made and she was on her way to the precinct to pick up who was still cussing up a storm from a holding cell when she told the captain to release the woman immediately if they knew what was good for them and their squad.  


She waited until the cell door was open, rubbing her wrists when her relief came and uncuffed her gladly, turning to the one leading the bloody pack who was saluting the royally pissed off major. Without any warning she shot her arm back and let her fist fly directly into his face. When the rest of the officers went to back up the heap on the floor and detain the bitch, she showed off that bitchy side to them waving her finger in a warning to step back or she’d kick their asses too. They both casually strolled right out of the precinct raising one finger to the boys in blue as they left.  


“I...am gonna unleash hell on that bitch Danvers.” She told her in the military Hummer, when both slid into their seats and slammed the doors to drive away. Their ride had been back on L-Corp property, so one little boy, shaking in his boots, that she threatened to unleash years of service on his frightened ass, drove them back over to the scene of the pathetic excuse for a crime. Luckily the vehicle was across the street and right off those four square invisible lines to what they would now title LuthorCorp. That cheap attempt at righting the wrongs of a psychopath were in vain to them from now on. What their sunshine Danvers saw in Lena Luthor was beyond conscious thought as far as they were concerned.  


“You and me both. We will just head back to base and reconfigure a new plan of attack.” She noticed her passenger shaking her head and raised one brow. “What’s up.”  


“I can’t see her Lane. I just can’t and I hope you understand my reasoning.”  


“I do. Go figure she hooks up with Tin Guard’s sister. My ex boyfriend and your ex fiance. Sorry about that by the way.” Her friend just sat back, putting her head back too sighing.  


“It’s alright. Drop me at my friend’s place would ya?” Lucy nodded, heading that direction first before she’d go back to the DEO. “I’ll work my side of things from there. Give her my regards.”  


“I will. Let’s blow this popcicle stand.” Both nodded, with the gas hit hard..

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The minute she was released, three days later, her sister felt it best for her to be brought over to the Director’s place. Alex had saw to packing an overnight bag, adding a few extra things in case she kept her a few nights for good measure. However, Kara hadn’t left the kitchen really, more specifically the floor in the corner of it. She kept away from the sunlight, feeling herself undeserving of what made her strong anymore. Alex had come home, along with Kelly, to find the shades pulled and her place in complete darkness. The only light came from the crackling flames in the fireplace, both immediately wondering where the kryptonian was and Danvers quickly flipped on the lights to the kitchen. The minute their keys and discarded pocket items were placed on the counter, their ears picked up the faint sound of heavy breathing.  


“Kar?” Alex came around the island of sorts, eyes falling on the woman leaning against the bottom corner cabinet. “Kar! Oh Kar. Kar? Kara? Sis?” Kelly rounded the corner too and joined them on the floor slowly scooting closer to the pair. It was then she saw the comatose figure before them, with legs straight out, arms lifeless to her sides and head back as Kelly tried not to cry. The minute Alex touched her sister, Kara’s head came down slightly and what she saw had her own heart crash and shatter into pieces she knew the hero’s own was in. What had her own orbs shivering was the empty eyes void of any feeling at all, glowing like Alex had seen Lena’s do. “What is..”  


“I’ll call J’onn.” Kelly told her girlfriend, terrified at the sight too and wondering what the hell had made Kara’s eyes mirror the Luthor’s in every way. Then there was the expressionless face the doll like posture, rattling the psychologist even more. “She grabbed Alex’s phone, knowing all the contacts were in that one, scrolling to the previous calls and pressing the green tab . Two rings and the person on the other end picked up.  


“Alex? What’s wrong?”  


“J’onn, it’s Kelly. We are at our place. I need you to gather the others and bring Amelia with you if you can. Tell Brainy if he has any portable technology that can undo digital..”  


“He’s a 12th-Level Intellect Miss Olsen. I’ll get them, your brother too.”  


“Thanks J’onn.” They ended the call, just as Alex had lifted her sister up off the floor to carry her limp body across the room, up the slight step and set her on the bed, which was just as doll like. When Danvers stood back up, her legs nearly buckled and she practically fell into Olsen’s arms. Kelly just picked her up and brought her to the couch where Alex began to crumble with heavy tears. Every bit of the Director’s body was shaking from days of overwhelming nightmares wide awake.  


Lucy was heading down the hall when Nia, James and Amelia met up with her at the door. Brainy and J’onn were next to approach, both with what looked to be a couple storage containers in their hands. Lane wasn’t sure what was in there, but hoped it would be something to help Supergirl, considering she had been a no show in the skies for eight days now. One knock and it had been Olsen to open it, with them all entering slowly. Alex was at the counter, on a stool with a glass of amber liquid in her hand. She looked exhausted and when their gazes turned towards the bed Danvers had pointed to, they gasped in unisom. Slowly, Nia was first to approach the figure and when she did, tears began to roll down her face.  


The state her mentor was in had her shaken to the core. She knew it had been bad, but this was far beyond that. Then there was the refusal of sunlamps or even sunlight, warranting a graver fear within them all when the rest walked over. There had only been so much that Zor-El could take and it looked as if that final straw had snapped, sending everything she had kept for years crashing through a broken dam, no longer able to hold it in anymore. It begged the question they all feared might be true. Was Kara done, with Supergirl..?


	2. Chapter 2

They knew, it was only a matter of time before she snapped and when that happened they all took a step back and ran for cover. The only one who hadn’t was currently on her bed, unresponsive in every way, but at least she had a pulse. The strangest thing to comprehend was her pulse just slightly lower, as was her blood pressure, but other than that she was breathing and alive. Alex knew better, knew how dead inside her sister must feel. Guilt was tearing her insides apart more and more, along with a building rage aimed at one person and one only.

Dr. Hamilton, Major Lane and Dr. Olsen were going over the tests and exams performed, especially the blood results when they had brought the kryptonian back to the DEO, nearly collapsing when the paper left the printer to be picked up by Amelia. She had called the Director over, handed her the paper and braced for impact. Instead of the fury, Alex, Agent Badass Danvers, dropped to the lab floor with Hamilton calling for help. Hours had passed before the woman came to, learning that there had been no change to her sister’s state.

“Even Brainy couldn’t figure it out.” Lucy explained, showing Alex the formula and notes Kara had scribbled down. She couldn’t wrap her head around what she was seeing, let alone realizing.

“Here.” James walked over and threw the box, with the note inside on the table. Alex picked it up, crushing part of it in her tightening grip. The words left to her sister had every feeling generating merely one thing and when she got her hands on the bitch, there would be no stopping Danvers.

~ Death is not your punishment, not something to be caused by feeling. ~

~ I feel nothing now, empty at your hand. ~

~ Emptiness sentenced. ~ 

“She..injected..” They were sitting on the floor in the hall, right outside the room that Supergirl was in. The sunlamps were doing absolutely nothing for her kryptonian body.

“What was left was some sort of device that latched onto the palm of her hand, slipped through her nerves and latched onto a specific section of her brain. Before she had removed the technology leech from its case, she developed a formula that she injected into a vein of her body to reconfigure her DNA structure. This is certainly more advanced than anything I’ve seen or for that matter heard of Danvers.” Lucy tried to explain, knowing it probably wasn’t helping any.

“Her blood is riddled with red sun cells. She gave herself a fucking virus.” Alex wanted to hurl at what her sister had done, wishing she had kept Kara under closer watch, which had cost the blonde the last of what little strength she had left. “Can we go after the bitch for this?” She was talking to the lawyer not the friend, needing some form of hope or anything she could get at this rate.

“I’m not sure Danvers. This is a complex case and she could have some rich scum squad of attorneys at her beck and call to counter our attempts. I’ll try and call a friend of mine to check for loopholes. One way or another, she will pay.” Lane hugged Danvers tightly, walked into the sunroom, leaned down and kissed her friend on the forehead. “Hang in there Kara. Stay with us.” When she exited the room, Lucy was unaware of the slight twitch of a finger that partially curled, as well as parted lips and clenched teeth. She was indeed doing just that, with the last of a fighting spirit. She would try...she would try..

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She scrolled through them, satisfied by a simple nod and returning the pad to her business partner. They poured her a scotch, handing it over in a silent exchange. Lena brought the tumbler to her lips, enjoying the feel of it when it rolled down her throat and into her belly. She watched the incredible mind chuckle at the findings too, pouring a glass and toasting to their success.

“Certainly brilliant Lena Luthor.”

“I try. This will change the way every household finds safety and security. Every single person will hold the key to their own destiny and not have to rely on masked men and women to control whether they live or die.”

“Hmm hmm that pissed at the girl of steel?” She looked over, green meeting brown.

“I don’t want to kill Supergirl. I never have and never will try. I just want her to experience the same hurt that she’s inflicted on me. If that makes me more of a Luthor than so be it. I’m tired of the secrets and lies. I’ve dealt with enough of that in one lifetime. We will provide solace and the peace no alien or human can give. This is the way of the future, our own future.”

“Cheers to that.” Their ears were filled with a distinct sound, one that signalled a bullet lined up with the chamber, a click so very recognizable it caused them both to let go of their glasses that shattered when they hit the marble floor at their feet.

“È finita.” It was indeed over for them, spoken in a purely beautiful Italian way and quickly the two put their hands up just as the black ops team yanked them from both chairs and threw them on the floor face down to cuff them. “How’s my accent?” She waited until their soldiers hauled the prisoners off, then removed her mask to flash a beautiful smile.

“Magnifico.” Lucy just laughed, rolling her eyes.

“It comes off a little spagnolo Danvers.” Alex smirked, shrugging but pleased. They looked the same direction disgusting thing one and horrid thing two were taken. “What do you say we get the fuck out of this joint.”

“I’m with you on that. The sooner we get back to my sister the better. We will transfer them to base three. We might, sadly might, need their expertise on this shit.” Lane sighed, putting her head against the padding when they got in the trailer to head back to the airport in Rome. Until they could return to National City, they would make use of their time in the back of the military truck with the two in wrist and ankle cuffs before their eyes. Priority..PRIME..payback..

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He had been called the epitome of collected under the most hostile of environments, spoken highly of by the other two Legionnaires, one being Supergirl’s ex. He could handle any disaster with a clear mind, until..

J’onn had to push the rest of them back, the minute Querl went ape shit on everything in sight. The Martian had been shocked when Director Danvers had called him, providing the codes to get into Lena Luthor’s secret lab, the one supposedly destroyed after the World Killer epidemic by Reign herself. Now, he was shielding their bodies with his own powers and body, to avoid any injury caused by Brainy’s rage.

It had started out small, with both Brainiac and Dr. Olsen logging into files with codes and passwords given to them by the DEO leader. Shortly after, Guardian and Dreamer were loading up two more devices, told by the intellect as to where to look and what files to access. That’s when everything had gone downhill quickly, when even Brainy couldn’t gather what he sought from the tenth harddrive located and booted up. Every hidden cache was automatically erasing the minute any command had been typed. Each keystroke was another file lost, another answer taken away and with it they were left empty.

In a last ditch resort, once J’onn literally had to punch the shit out of Brainy to knock any sense back into him, they set up the hardware that was used when Alex entered Kara’s subconscious after the Black Mercy ordeal. To double the efforts, the crown used on Supergirl after falling into a coma from the fight with the devil in black, was placed back on her forehead in hopes of entering Kara’s mind palace.

The minute that Alex and Lucy had entered, noticing everything set up and kicking the Luthor across the floor of her own lab, they knew things had gone from bad to worse. Amelia had Kara on a drip, fluids and nutrients pumped into her by an IV, the same blank stare and hideous grey-blue glowing eyes as before, no twitch of the eyelids at all or any hint of coherency. She looked far too weak, lethargic and ill, warranting a boiling over madness that was beginning to shift Alex’s thoughts to murderous and vengeful, two things her sister would never wish her to feel.

“Get..her..up.” The Director wouldn’t be merciful in any way, watching the CEO drug to her feet and shoved roughly into a chair, which she had two sets of metal cuffs ready for the bitch’s wrists. One hard slap and click and both arms were secured to the metal armrests. She snapped her fingers and Lucy was already on the task, strapping down Lena’s legs to the stirrups of the chair, extending them until both were straight and grabbing the box to set it on the tray in front of the chair that had been bolted down to the floor by James.

“Remove it?” Lane asked, sliding surgical gloves on, then standard issued military type gloves and finally fingerless biker ones, ensuring there would be no fingerprints at all left behind. Danvers nodded, doing the same with gloves, watching her friend open the lid and dump the three inch long pins in a glass bowl that sizzled the minute the objects were submerged. Lucy ripped the twisted cloth from between the business woman’s lips and let it drop to the floor. “Back?”

“Fuck your..” Lena had her head forced back, two straps were woven through open slots as one was buckled around her neck, the other the top of her head to keep it back against the frame of the chair. She had a bite block and mouth prop shoved between her teeth and two tongs clamped to her tongue. With it captive, they were tightened to pull it out of her mouth more and instantly the Director took one pin out of the bowl, showing the red hot sliver of metal to Lena then turning it around between two fingers and thumb.

“Shut it Luth.” Alex brought the needle sized pin right to the mouth’s main muscle and slowly pushed it down and into the CEO’s tongue. Just as Lena was about to scream, something was blasted down her throat, drying it enough to keep her larynx useless for the song of agony. She stepped back, leaving the pin sticking out from both sides, allowing Lucy her turn at the rail. “You wanna be mad? Be angry? It wasn’t her fault and you fucking know it you goddamn viper! Your little eye trick was annoying and then you send that shit to my sister?! Are you proud of yourself? You didn’t want to kill Supergirl huh? You MURDERED her! She’s gone! GONE! You made sure of that with your attack on her with your message of hate and unwelcome gift. Another.” Lane obliged her pal, piercing from under the tongue to push it up and right through like the other two. Tears were rolling down Lena’s face, ignored in every possible way imaginable.

“Nice! That fourth one looks like it was made for that side Danvers.” She smiled, then grew serious to pull up stools for them both. “Before..she unwrapped that evil package, my friend, my best friend proved just how fucking einstein brained she is. She came up with a way to inject the fucking red sun into her blood. That shit morphed her DNA into something that won’t allow solar regeneration. Yeah! That’s right.” Lucy saw that expression, putting her hand on Alex’s arm to keep her from inserting another pin, giving her a look to pay attention to Lena’s face. The tears that fell this time weren’t from the needles sticking out of her tongue, but from terror and already Danvers was yanking the objects out. “Alex? What are..”

“Leave the room.” The authoritative tone was enough to shake Lucy to the core and with the straight out command, the major did so. Alex waited until her friend was gone, the room clear of everyone else, minus her sister she hoped to make better. She wasn’t sure if she had lost the last of her mind, but her instincts were telling her that this was the correct move to make. Alex unbuckled the head and neck straps tossing them away, removing the leg ones too. She lastly uncuffed both ankles and wrists, giving the CEO opportunity to attack if that’s what she wanted, but put her hand on her side arm in a show of power. “Walk over.”

Lena rubbed her wrists, ignored all other pains from her ass kicking on the way back to National City and stood up slowly to center her balance. She slowly took steps towards the bed, closing more and more distance as she moved, noticing the state the blonde was in and feeling every muscle in her body tighten, a cold shiver running down her spine and that iced wall around her own beating heart melting on the spot. Alex stood beside her and Lena knew they were both looking the exact same direction, Kara’s face. “It won’t leave.”

“Wh..wha..” Lena cleared her throat, well tried to along with the throbbing on her tongue, handed a bottle of water and taking it quickly. She twisted the cap, hearing the snap when the lid seal was broken, bringing it to her lips and drinking enough to wet her whistle, the sting of the needles and their chemicals burning like no other. She cleared her throat again, ready to respond, forcing the words out through grit affliction. “What do you mean.”

“This.” Alex brought a hand to her sister’s face and turned it to show the Luthor both marks, then point to her own face. “Mine will fade, thanks for that by the way. Hers won’t. Certain kryptonites leave permanent marks on a kryptonian. Lex knew this about Superman. Kal-El has two scars from your brother’s madness. No matter what, no surgery...nothing, will remove them. You did the equivalent of branding her. Don’t expect the return to be gentle, that I promise you.” Alex warned and heard the heavy gulp, making sure the woman understood the hidden meaning through her message.

Lena couldn’t show this weakness, not again and just to spite this liar like the others, she slid the mask over her face she had perfected with ease. She had no issues listening and comprehending the words, but to play this foolish game of humanity again, that would not happen. “Dreamer found her at the fortress, red sun lamps on, that Kara had installed herself as a failsafe. She was unconscious and blue. If she hadn’t figured out where she was, we wouldn’t have known or reached her in time.”

“Why..are you telling me this” Lena was curious but a slight bit nervous with an unhinged yet rather eerily calm Director Danvers beside her, realizing that vizad was terrifyingly accomplished in it’s own way.

“Kelly and I came home to her in the kitchen, in a state I’ve never seen before, that not even Reign caused when she put my sister in a coma. Her body was there, but every part of what makes her Kara, makes her Kara Danvers, makes her Kara Zor-El, makes her a symbol of hope, was gone. It’s gone Luthor, so congratulations. I TRUSTED YOU and YOU..DID..THIS!! You BROKE her! YOU BROKE...MY SISTER!! You took her away! You TOOK her ability to fly!! You TOOK her wings!!”

Alex was done. Done with the calm. Done with the damn Director shit. Done with it all and done with the bitch in front of her. “You CAGED her and you don’t even know it! She is CHAINED to this version of hell, not even Brainy or Maxwell’s gadgets can reverse!! What you left her. What you fucking left her..she USED!! She used it..after..she DID..THIS!”

Alex grabbed the notepad off the counter to her left, slapping Lena in the chest with it who took the blow and accepted its nature, unaware of the sole boot that swung at her and landed directly into her gut, making her double over as her body went soaring across the room and away from the blonde. She marched right over to the heap on the ground, grabbing her by one of her ankles, lifting her leg and twisting painfully in the wrong direction it should go. The CEO turned her body to alleviate the pain from the turn, turning her own body in response. Then came the hard punch to her lower region with the heel of Alex’s boot and with it Lena’s howl echoed along the walls of the lab.

“Fuck….you...Da...Dan..vers.. FUCK YOU! FUCK..K..HER! Li..ars. Trai...tors! Suffff...er it..t..t.” Lena snarled and coughed, nearly vomiting from the strikes, knowing she had snapped out of this emotional shit, determined to put an end to her own pain inside. “Go...t...to..hell. Ta...take...he...her..wi...with..you..” Alex was about to kick her teeth in, but heard a loud clearing of throat and looked to the open door.

“Bring. Her. Here.” Nia walked in and with her entry, Alex adjusted the ear plugs in her sister’s ears to protect them from any noise erupting from their vengeance, then grabbed the business woman’s other ankle as she was dragged her right to Dreamer who had already summoned the oneiro kinetic blue energies around her arms and straight down to her closed fists. Danvers released the leg she had a hold of and smiled when the Luthor rolled on her side and curled into a ball cupping her nether region that throbbed from the direct slam of the angry woman’s foot, coughing up what sounded like a bruised lung.

“What you got in mind?” Alex watched Nia unleash two chains that wrapped right around Lena’s arms and spread them straight out to their sides. Another chain shot out and coiled around the CEO’s legs, forcing them tightly together and one flick of Dreamer’s wrists and a current of shockwaves brought spasms of electricity through the monster’s body. Just as Lena was about to scream, something wet and freezing was dropped onto her face to muffle the sound. “Beautiful.” Nia released her victim and retracted every ounce of her power, snapping her fingers and whistling to her focused rage.

“Get...fucking..up.” Alex had never heard her cuss before, both refreshing and disturbing yet welcome. She was surprised that Lena could even get to her feet after all that, then Nia shut her extra strength off and motioned for L-Corp’s boss to attack. Something shifted in Lena and with it she came at Dreamer just like that and with no effort at all, Nia unleashed pure hell. Her mentor had trained her in hand to hand combat, all skills that Alex had shown her sister and damn the Director was impressed. Brainy had been a positive and welcome teacher too, a man and hero that she would stand with no matter what and love unconditionally. Nia flat out did what Alex would do and should have done, glad to have waited and watched the hero kick her unroyal rich ass.

Lucy stood in the doorway, James with her too and both watched the show as Nia proved she was just as tough without all her nifty abilities. Then the voice of one no longer with restraint brought upon her fury that came spilling from her lips. “You STUPID RICH CUNT! YOU BROKE MY FRIEND!!”

Oh Nia wouldn’t stop there, punching Lena in the face twice between a knee to the chest. “MY FRIEND! NOT...YOURS!! You LOST that right the moment you HURT HER!! You BROKE..HER HEART!! She LOVED YOU! She DEFENDED YOU! She DIED by your bastard brother’s command to Red Daughter! SHE DIED!! She died alone and you KILLED HER! Just..like YOUR BROTHER!! I should fucking rip you apart and leave you for dead you blood money freak!! NO MORE!!”

Nia was crying after her temper drained her of the last of her strength, too upset and hurt for her friend and hero, leaving it at that and storming out in which the ex couple parted to let her through. Alex didn’t need to go after her, Lucy offering instead with Kelly walking over and looking in the room with wide eyes. Lena was a whimpering sobbing wreck and Dr. Olsen had no damn ounce of sympathy for the traitor as far as she was concerned. Betrayal ran both ways and the one on the floor deserved every bit of hell she had dropped a sister to Kelly in. They hadn’t seen anything yet, cracking her knuckles and strolling up to pull her girlfriend towards her for a kiss, taking her time to linger that embrace and finally breaking it. She looked down and cracked her neck, flashing the most cruelest of smiles.

“My turn..”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you sure?” The lawyer in her was warranting caution to this power play, but they had nothing to lose and if things went south, she honestly couldn’t give two shits about the one who instigated this entire situation in the first place. Her only concern was the one who saved her life and everyone on Earth during Myriad, furthermore time and time again against any foe. Then the one being prepped for the journey, practically snickering at the CEO with wrists cuffed to the reclining chair’s armrests, struggling to get free completely conscious, gagged and blindfolded to keep her in the dark, literally. She checked with the techs, Brainy and other assistants in the feat, watching as Alex slid the headset on and laid down on the other bed.

“I am. I have to try Luce. I have to. Usually I put Vasquez in command when I’m out, but I know you two can run this ship without sinking it. I need only you, the rest of our fam including Amelia or Suz to have access to this room once we start this. Dreamer will have my back too.” Lucy silently thanked Nia for offering to go in with Alex. She felt that concern lingering further out and to the rest of the gang too, noticing the 12th-Level Intellect place a crown and headset on his girlfriend. “Luce?”

“I’m here Danvers.” She stepped to her friend’s side and took the hand held out for her.

“Protect..them.” It was the last words to leave Alex’s lips and then the hand in Lucy’s went limp. She set it back down after kissing the back of it, backed away and met Kelly feet from where her girlfriend lay. “Help..me..pro..tect them..too..K..Kel.”

“You can count on it. So she’s just tossing her in with them huh.” Lane nodded, still not sure how Danvers planned on using the stuck up sow but knew when it came to crazy ideas, Alex was spot on most of the time when push came to shove.

“When it comes to Danvers, she always maps shit out. She’s been protecting Kara from the moment she became her sister and that will never change. The mindwipe may have erased things, but that instinct to protect her never faltered. It changed, but it didn’t disappear. Alex told me about how lost she felt, a piece of her soul, her heart was gone. Those memories are what made them strong, sturdy and loved.”

Lucy noticed the business woman’s head turned, as if listening in, until she too began to fade into unconsciousness, unaware that the conversation was still being heard even if it was but a whisper now. “I wasn’t there. Lena didn’t know. Alex didn’t know. James was too infatuated with Luthor. You were just getting to know Alex. J’onn was on his own path. Nia started out learning from Kara, with the identity reveal, then trained with Brainy. Kara was alone. She had..no one. She fought her alter ego and lost. She lost every bit of her and even when Alex remembered, she forced fate’s hand and brought Kara back, there were still voids. There still are and Danvers fears they may never be filled completely again.”

“She seperated.” Kelly felt her heart constricting, already acknowledging the ache for the hero she would fight tooth and nail for, well aware what that can do to a person from patients she had treated in the past.

“Kara was pretty much fighting false gods and monsters, dying slowly and silently. She needed her best friend and instead of that support and comfort, she received cruelty and a permanent reminder imprinted on her own flesh. Darkness. It’s no wonder that a brilliant kryptonian mind could find a way to manipulate her own blood cells, manifest a toxin to attack her nerves and turn some twisted technology into a dormant purgatory of the brain.” Lucy’s addition didn’t help, but Kelly needed to know all the basics to gain a better understanding. “Good luck ladies..”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upon lifting her eyelids, vision clearing much quicker than she thought, her fears were settling deeper this time. Krypton. Alex should have known that her sister would return to this place. She lay on the sofa, taking deep breaths, trying to regulate some sense of calm even though her heart was hammering in her chest. It was then a hand appeared above her face and knowing who it belonged to, took it. The moment she was sitting up, Nia pulled her the rest of the way until both were on their feet. However they weren’t alone, noticing Lena looking out at the city with another masked expression and already Alex wanted to punch it right off her face, until she felt hurt and that’s it.

“Argo City.” She channeled the Director part of herself, walking over with Nia’s hand in her own. Dreamer’s eyes widened, realizing what this meant. “At least it isn’t Juru this time.”

“No.” All three turned around and Alex swallowed down the lump in her throat, reaching for her hip and realizing her gun wasn’t there. She had no weapon, but she was one of the best skilled agents, especially in combat and crouched some to take a defensive stance. “There is no need Brave One.” Danvers knew what this meant, straightening her posture then walking over to greet Astra. They grasped forearms, a greeting of warriors and then Kara’s aunt was embracing her in the warmest of hugs. “Thank you.” Alex went stiff for a moment, fearing the repercussions, but they never came, instead filled with soothing words. “You gave me peace with Rao Alexandra, Brave One.” It was then she hugged her back and relaxed against her some. When they parted, Astra’s eyes ventured to the two women who she did not know, but recognized something in one.

“I am Dreamer.” Nia approached calmly, knowing she wasn’t in danger.

“Nia Nal, of Earth and Naltor.” A gasp escaped her, but Astra held her hand out to greet Nia in the same manner she did Alex. Dreamer accepted it and smiled as the kryptonian did.

“Meet Astra, Kara’s Aunt.” Nia’s eyes grew larger but she shook the rudeness away.

“My Niece is fond of you, sees you as something more than even her. You have the strength of a hero and wear it well.” Both Nia and Alex watched as Astra approached the last of the three of them and the Director already felt the smirk slip over her lips. Kara’s aunt wasted no time, quickly grasping the woman by the throat then stepping back taking Lena with her. “Our strength is that of a red sun here, but I need not Earth’s own to end your existence.”

“Help..” Lena felt the helplessness indeed and knew no amount of training she learned over the years, brought up in that Luthor household, that was taught to outpower her opponent, would do her any good here. Her body was brought closer, until they were face to face with mere inches between them now.

“I am a soldier, a General here. You have not been kind to my Niece, MY Little One. She has suffered greatly, punishing herself from keeping that part of her you will never understand. She has tried, year after year on Earth, to fit in and be normal. Be human. She found that in you and you took it away by your actions. I..should kill you.” Astra started to squeeze some, keeping this cruel one dangling off the ground by a few inches.

“Aunt Astra.” Two heads turned, one set of eyes slid to the right and the General released her grip to let the Luthor drop to the ground. Astra went to her niece’s side, bathed in the same outfit Alex had seen her sister in the last time she had stepped foot in this place, watching as she slid behind her to wrap an arm around Kara’s waist. The kryptonian put her head back on her aunt’s shoulder, not even bothering to be strong here, letting go. Being vulnerable.

“My god.” The Director looked at Dreamer, noticing an expression that made her smile at it. “She’s...beautiful.” Nia had seen both the reporter side and Supergirl side, but this Kara was stunning and it showed in every way. She wasn’t the only one staring, no one aware except Kara herself.

“Kar.” Alex went to move, to run to her sister but Astra held a hand out in a signal not to approach just yet. “Khap Nahn Kir Aoe.” She meant it, feeling she had failed her sister, needing to apologize in the proper tongue. The General smiled, a show of respect to her for the proper pronunciation.

“Very good, Brave One.” It was her way of summoning her other niece to them, which Danvers took as an okay to go to her sister. Astra felt Alex deserved the honor of that name, then bestowed one to Nia, something Dreamer had not expected. “Noble One, come here.” She did just that and with that separation no longer, Kara’s arms came around her with both her sister and friend in her embrace. Astra let them stay that way, snapping her fingers as two guards came in, walking right towards Lena who backed up but found the wall instead, pushing herself against it as if to escape from what was coming. “Ruthless One.” As if she had been slapped or punched in the gut, just like before, the CEO felt the streaks of moisture trail down her face.

“What are you planning to do with her?” Aled was curious, even more so when Astra’s twin came in and nodded to the guards.

“For what she did to my daughter, I should sentence her to the Phantom Zone. I feel though that isn’t severe enough, after marking Kara the way she did.” Alura was pissed and the Director knew it now. Astra was right there with her and for the first time there was peace between the siblings. “It is your choice Kara.”

“I…” Nia and Alex looked at the one who still had their arms partially around them. “I don’t care anymore. I just can’t.” Her sister felt something, stepping out of Kara’s embrace to see the tears she had felt when her fingers touched her attire. She hoped it wouldn’t anger or disrespect them, but had to know, gripping the material and ripping it further gasping. There were bruises all over the kryptonian’s stomach and when she reached up to touch Kara’s face, they became visible before them all. Her bare arms too, covered in more. Alex was ready to murder whoever did this.

“What..happened Kar.” She looked into her sister’s eyes, feeling the sadness in them as if it was her own.

“She requested a clash with my soldiers.” Astra told them, making sure Lena heard everything along with the tone of her voice, turning to meet shivering kryptonite and emerald eyes. “She quit fighting, but instructed them not to let up. She took beating after beating, saying she deserved it.”

“Astra and I wished to end it, however my daughter would not let us interfere and withrelunctance we respected her wishes.” Alura’s eyes narrowed at the one whose guards held both her arms, pushing Lena to her knees and keeping her there. “I try to understand Kara’s yearn to just be human, to be normal in the eyes of Earth’s inhabitants, to be free of that part of her that is her home, Krypton. Do you know how painful that is? Her life was here, born here and partially raised here. Yet she felt punishment was in order for being kryptonian. My daughter feels this way. Your actions, your words. Her personal sentencing.”

“My sister is one of the most well respected Judicators of Krypton. She passes down proper punishments to criminals and those who seek harm to our kind or planet in any way. Little One is of the House of El, one of the most noble ruling families here. She bears our crest, El Mayarah, ‘Stronger Together’ and she feels undeserving to dawn it.” Astra was gradually losing her resolve, pushing down the hostile part of her she yearned to unleash on this vile human.

“That’s enough.” Kara told both her aunt and mother, slipping her gaze to her sister. “Why did you bring her here.” Alex wouldn’t sugarcoat it, willing to explain her reasoning for doing so.

“I wanted her to see, to feel what you do and who you are. I had a feeling this is where you would be and I’ll admit I was scared. Last time I was here, you were under the Black Mercy and you didn’t know who I was, who..you were. I’m thanking Rao, that wasn’t the case this time. You do not deserve pain Kar. Please understand that. I hate when you’re hurt and I’ve watched you die more times than I can count. Your life has slipped away for far too long. Please come home. Come home...to me. To Nia. To J’onn. To all of us. I need you. Khap Tulem Rrip Kir Aoe.”

“You are not bound here Little One. It is your choice and yours alone.” Astra told her, smiling when her niece ran to her and her twin. The minute her body collided with theirs, they held her in their arms and knew by her trembling she was crying. “We love you.”

“I will be on Argo my precious daughter.” Alura whispered. “I am so proud of you.” They let go and she cupped Kara’s face with her hands. “I’m proud of you.”

“We both are. I love you...Little One.” Kara wiped her eyes some and stepped back nodding.

“Mom, Aunt Astra...I love you too.” She turned and ran to her sister, their embrace tighter than Alex had ever felt. Here Kara didn’t need to fear crushing her and Alex loved that she could just be herself in this place. Nia hugged them too, toning down the strength she even had here. When they separated, Danvers looked around then met Alura’s eyes.

“We will keep her here a little longer. She will return, just not yet. My sister and I need this time.” Alex smiled and silently thanked them. One soon to be terrified Luthor? Priceless..

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two gasps, nearly simultaneously were heard and immediately Lucy and Amelia were at their side, J’onn and Kelly as well, keeping vigilant of their vitals especially. Nia and Alex sat up, with a tad bit of assistance, slipping off the beds and walking over to the beautiful kryptonian.

“Kir Aoe. Kar..” For the first time, since forever, those eyelids blinked and the hideous silver blue glow vanished replaced with beautiful cerulean shades. Her head turned and lips curved up into a warm smile. Alex couldn’t hold back any longer, lunging forward and hugging her sister tightly, releasing the tears threatening to escape more than once. Kara’s arms came around her other half, softly rubbing her back. “Please...please don’t leave me again.” Alex spoke between sobs.

“No more. Promise.” Kara couldn’t guarantee that in the future when facing adversaries, but she would do her best to keep it as best she could. She felt Nia at her other side and pulled her closer to hug her too. “I’m here.” She shut her eyes, letting moisture fill them with how dry they felt, relaxing at the love and support around her. Two hands took her own and one set of lips met her forehead. She looked from left to right and saw Kelly and Lucy, then up to see J’onn. Then Brainy approached, offering a smile of his own. James was the last to show and when he came over he stood beside J’onn, winking at her and she winked back chuckling.

“I spoke to Ms. Grant. She’s giving you all your damn sick and vacation time if you need it, paid in full and a slight...worry for you. In other words, she hopes you get better...Kiera.” Kara groaned shaking her head but smiling nonetheless.

“Thank you..everyone.” They all heard a knock, stepping back slightly with all eyes on the door, widening from unimaginable shock. 

“You don’t mind if I book a spot in this class too do ya.” Kara’s eyes glistened, tears of joy just to see her real best friend again.

“Oh my god...he got..”

“Scruff.”

“He got.."

“A damn good wardrobe.”

“He got..”

“Damn..fine.” Both Lucy and Alex said at the same time. There he was, back from a passage of time. There he was, a .handsome Winslow Schott.”

“Thank you.” Winn took the single step down and walked towards the bed and furthermore the girl he still had a crush on. Nia was pulled back by Lucy and Alex helped her sister sit up. Winn reached out, wrapped an arm around Kara and pulled right into his arms. His best friend hugged him like her life depended on it, starting to cry into his shoulder, too many emotions flooding her at once. Winn must have sensed it and everyone was stunned when he lifted her off the bed and carried her out with ease. “I’ve got you. I’ve got you Kara.” He kept saying it to her, even when her legs wrapped around him and he whistled to James to open the door after Guardian nodded to the agents to let them through.

“Shit.” The rest of them turned to the Director. “I can’t threaten him with six different ways using my index finger anymore.” Lucy couldn’t hold in the laughter at that.

“What a shame.” They glanced at J’onn who chuckled at them. Both women glared.

“The probability of his appearance has bemused my frontal lobe as well as cerebellum.” They all facepalmed at his subtlety, leaving Alex with the last word as they all exited the room.

“Help this 12th-level intellect...ten cents a day…”


	3. Chapter 3

Her body's exhausted frame lay against his, spent of every ounce of energy she had left, a grateful bit of thanks to the agent who did as he requested. On the balcony of the DEO, in a reclining lounge chair, he softly ran a hand up and down her back in a way to soothe the tears he knew she had wept for far too long. One of his exposed arms was wrapped around her, a notion he wouldn't let her go anytime soon. He had changed, not just his body but the way he thought, being wished good luck as he traveled back to this time. When he knew she was completely out for sure, he slid his legs over the side and stood up taking his best friend with him.

When he walked back in, Winn was greeted with dozens of agents who saluted him in a show of absolute respect. He nodded, cradling the blonde closer to his chest. The female agents and a few gay male ones, had their gazes locked on his toned strong arms, the black muscle tank that hugged tightly to his frame, the jeans that fit him just right and his jaw line traced with a slight shave to it. Then there was his blue eyes, almost a sea green blend to them, adding to the stud he was seen as now. He smiled and shook his head, looking over to Alex, the Director now, who met him halfway as they headed to the sunlamp room.

"So..you're back?" Danvers was still floored with how much Schott had changed, wondering what the future had done to warrant this side she had never seen in him or on him for that matter. Winn nodded and brought his best friend into the room, laying Kara down on the bed leaning his head down and kissing her cheek. When he stood back up, his conversation returned with a hand held out to the side. Alex must have known what he was silently requesting, handing over the tablet in her hands.

"I am. Brainy is probably having a meltdown with me showing up right now. He had sent me off to be part of the Legion, but I knew this was the right time to bid farewell and come back home. I had to. I left her in hopes she would be in the right hands, be okay." Alex put her head down, slightly clenching a fist and shaking her head. Winn sensed her strife and took her hand with them both glancing at each other. "I know it's been hard and I wished that didn't have to happen to you two, but in order to right the wrongs and push aside the darkness, it was necessary." The Director chuckled.

"When did you get so wise?" He couldn't help but flash a smile.

"When I landed Valor on the mat with ease." Alex raised an eyebrow and he smirked. "Mon-El's Legion name is Valor." Winn turned his gaze back to the kryptonian on the sunbed. Without even needing to look, he had brought up the notepad app on the tablet, turning it to landscape mode and typing in what was necessary to her recovery. "I had spoken to Susan and Amelia privately beforehand, unable to quite show myself at that time to anyone else. If I had, the choices made wouldn't have been the right ones. The techs didn't know it was me at first, something I was glad in order to accomplish the task at hand." He explained to his friend and fellow commander.

"She missed you." Alex spoke quietly, but Winn heard her voice and that sadness within it.

"I missed her." He responded, continuing on what he needed to. "When the devices were used for you to travel into her subconsciousness, I mapped out the correct sequences, giving her a place that was familiar and calmer, then applied them to her headset, sort of..reprogramming that piece of crap Lena left just to spite her."

"That's how Kara came to?" Alex had wondered about that, wanting to hug this different Winn she had a huge respect for so much more now. She never showed it before, wishing she had but knowing how she needed to push his buttons to make him a better agent.

"What was left to her was the equivalent of a program chip put in a computer that already had the proper functions to it. It rewrote the mainframe and devised a virus through her brain. Basically, it made her a robot with a kill switch engaged."

"So she.." The urge to beat the living shit out of the Luthor, fueled her thoughts more and more, forcing it back for the time being for now. 'Focus Alex. Dammit focus.' She told herself, adjusting her posture some.

"Shut her off. It took away all her..emotions, conscious thought and motor functions. Add a kryptonian's advanced intelligence before she used it, manufacturing a virus which she injected into her bloodstream, latching onto her cells and you have a recipe for disaster. Consider what a fluorescent tube, light tube is made of. The LED tubes are filled with a mercury-vapor gas, producing that ultraviolet glow. She took the formula of mine and yours, for the sunlamps and created a reverse effect, using red sun, red solar lamps instead. She..could have died. I've known all along how smart she is, something everyone else refused to acknowledge or didn't know was possible. You do but you kept quiet about it, hoping to protect her in another way you're used to doing."

"And now?" Alex needed hope more than ever now, hating this catatonic state her sister was in.

"I've already given Dr. Hamilton what she needs to flush out the virus. She's given her two injections through the IV, waiting to give her anymore to avoid causing her body any further damage. You can't just give her a full dose all at once. It has to be gradual, to avoid a shock to one's body." Alex sighed but knew he was right. "I will have a chat with Lucy. She needs to understand how important it is that she stays in National City for now. She is family to us all, strange as it is considering her and James used to be an item. I kinda wish he had stayed with her, but then again I never stood a chance with Kara anyway."

"I have always thought of you as a little brother. I'm not sure her take on you Winn. You were her best friend and then Luthor came along and..." Winn smiled at that, holding that expression on his face while watching his best friend sleep, he hoped it was a peaceful slumber this time.

"My appearance is not what will make her see me differently than before. I'm braver.."

"I see that too." Alex patted his upper back slightly.

"When I look at her, I see someone who needs hope herself. I see someone who doesn't like others to be second. I see a soul tormented, but hidden from the eyes of everyone else, minus us. She didn't leave Ms. Grant's side, didn't quit being her assistant actually. She did it because Cat saw her as something more too." Alex scoffed.

"Her personal slave more like it."

"Not in her eyes. She saw someone who needed a friend, to take away some of that trouble. When Cat made her big and bold, shining and out there as Supergirl, she was doing the same thing for her at CATCO too. When she showed me who she was that day, I was amazed but to me she's more than the Super side. When I made her the suit, it wasn't to remove Kara Danvers and replace her with Supergirl. I did it as a gift so she could fly without worrying about her identity being exposed. Yes..I think I had some sort of crush on Superman, but I had a crush on Kara Danvers. Not Supergirl. When James gave her that picture, it was to remind her that she didn't need some suit or superpowers to be a hero."

"She loves that photo. I had to replace the frame, when she dove into Supergirl twenty-four seven. She had smashed the glass, so I put it in..mooore..indestructible housing." Winn silently chuckled.

"It was difficult to look passed the cape for others. We could though and for you, it was the sister, the friend, but the fear too. You were scared for her to go out and be that person that could be hurt. For me, she's always been that shoulder, that light, that..human hero. To me, she's not from another world, she's from the purest of love and goodness. She cried for days after Max's red k stuff, came to me, fell completely apart and fell asleep..on my couch. I was okay with that, I never minded. She always did the same for me. Valor.." Alex heard the slight growl with the name spoken. "He never deserved her and was too set in his own ways even with Imra. She sacrificed everything of her again and when she had a moment of happiness she dreaded losing it. She quit trying to let herself be happy with someone, other than family. Even with Lena, she put her first always. She wasn't being selfish, like that L-Corp boss may claim, or untrustworthy. She was scared and didn't want to lose another person, because of her genes and cape." "Speaking of capes.."

Alex watched him step away, walk to the corner of the room and pick up a black duffel bag. "This should offer her a different approach to things." Winn handed it over, nodding to the Director to open it. She set it down on a stool to her right, unzipping it and reaching in. When Alex pulled it out, her eyes widened. "No more skirts." She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"It's...wow." The suit was a shade of blue, almost grey in color. Gold outlined bits of it, with a slight bit of pauldrons at the shoulders. A small gold shield rested below the neck, with gold clips for a tad darker cape. The crest had changed too, the same red as the cape but much more defined. Alex flung it up some to look over more, smiling at the change of the belt too, that same design as the shield, then smirked at the pants, somewhat reminding her of her own suit he had made for her before he ventured off to the future. "Winn...she'll love it." Danvers smiled, beyond impressed.

"The boots are in the bag too, a tad bit I changed to their appearance and sturdier to partner with her more aggressive Super duties. There's a sheath pocket for her phone in the belt, hidden from view and protected, along with a panel that slides back to hide her glasses too. I've taken the liberty of changing those as well. I hope you don't mind." Alex set it down and reached in to find a glass's case, opening it and smirking. "Photochromic lenses. Those ones are normal for night and inside, turning darker like shades in the sun but still providing her the ability for her Super vision. The frames will allow her senses to dull some, made of Nth metal to withstand her..cluttzy and rough handling."

"Do I get an upgrade too?" Winn chuckled and showed Alex the material in the sun lamp's light, knocking her back a notch at the realization.

"Her sunlight trick will work with this too. She will be able to absorb it through the suit as well. I need her protected completely." Winn was caught off guard when Alex hugged her tightly. He hugged her back, setting the suit down on the bag, along with the glasses case.

"Thank you Winn. Wait...how did you..never mind. Future. Winn...thank you so much." Alex spoke into his shoulder, nearly crying at everything he did for her sister. Their hug ended, with her eyes landing on her sister's face. "She will be okay..right?" He took a deep breath, a serious expression covering his face and most of all his blue and sea green eyes.

"Physically yes." Danvers understood what he meant, feeling his hand squeeze hers.

"She's hurt. She's angry." The Director had seen something else, when they were in that version of Krypton. She saw the fury in a set of hues that were always so reserved around them all, except Alex sometimes. Kara was pissed off to high hell, showing an ounce of the CEO's attitude and it didn't scare her as much as it should. Winn pointed to the other duffel bag and Alex's eyes grew large in hopes of what was in there. He rolled his eyes smiling.

"One for you." Danvers nearly squealed with delight. "Also..one for her." Now Alex was confused. "She's gonna want to train here at the DEO. I've got a lead box in there with a red sun cuff so she can do so without fear of hurting someone, including you."

"You thought, of everything."

"Package deal. Batteries included." Alex slapped his arm and laughed. He smiled and slightly laughed too. Before they knew it, Kelly was at her girlfriend's side, taking the now free hand. James had fist bumped his buddy, glad for him to be back. Lucy had slipped her hand into one of his. J'onn had shook Winn's hand and thanked him for everything too, as did the rest of them. Nia came in and gave her new friend a hug and Brainy shook his hand, now welcoming him back, but saving the questions aka..interrogation for later.

None of them cared about their other problem at the moment, left to lick her wounds literally quite pissed off but escorted by Agent Vasquez back to L-Corp to confiscate all kryptonite and warn Lena that she would be getting weekly visits and inspections to ensure no more of the toxin to kryptonians was made.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The minute she got back to her penthouse, her rage was bubbling over, not appreciating that encounter with the kryptonian sisters in some hellish nightmare she had been kept in for two whole hours. By the time she was back and conscious, merely twenty minutes had gone by, only infuriating her more. She was released and threatened to punch any agents that dared to come within twenty feet of her and Brainy who had been the one to undo her restraints and tear ass out of the room in fear.

The minute she was back in her business tower, Lena buzzed Jess in. She had given the glorious woman three times the salary as before with top of the line benefits if she returned to L-Corp. In a heartbeat, the woman had done just that, welcomed with unexpected warm arms of her boss and told the new policies, along with everything that had occurred through the Eve and Lex fiasco. The betrayal had made Jess want to hug Miss Luthor and never let her go, surprised when Lena had dropped a bombshell and told her that Kara Danvers was banned from L-Corp and if she stepped even one foot on the property to call the local private authorities in the rolodex at her desk.

Three calls to business partners, that willingly joined her cause to promote anything she wished, pushing it through the FDA and marketing corporations, had a victorious grin sliding over her lips. Two more calls and Cat Grant no longer had any rights to CATCO anymore. It's AMAZING what being rich can do for someone. The queen of all media was fuming pissed but Lena didn't even acknowledge her attitude. She pressed down on the speaker and the direct line to her secretary.

"Jess?"

"Yes Miss Luthor?"

"I need Mattson and Kevrick contacted to push the meeting one day early if possible. Also, contact Mrs. Alezza and Mr. Prescott to do the same."

"Certainly Miss Luthor. Consider it done." Lena smiled at having Jess back, grateful for any and all assistance she offered freely.

"Thanks Jess. Order us from Noonans around one if possible."

"The usual?"

"My first usual."

"Before Miss Danvers?"

"Exactly." Their conversation ended and Lena went to work on everything she had missed, sighing at the four-hundred or so emails she had to scroll through. There was a stack of proposals, but it would have to wait a few hours. She sent off two urgent messages, with one hour later four of her most trusted contractors bringing up all new windows for her office. One brought two tanks up, filled with argon gas, with the label and name covered by black slips, keeping it even from Jess. The woman did poke her head in as the men set up.

"If it's alright to ask, what are those?"

"It's something used between double-pane windows to keep hot or cold air in, depending on the temperature in here or out there. You know how bad it can get in the seasons." Jess rolled her eyes and nodded, returning to her desk. Lena walked over to one of the men. "Make sure..it's filled with this too." He understood and added the pellets to the thick lines, securing them inside the hoses then connecting them to the tanks. His men nodded and he opened the valves to fill the empty space between both panes. With their masks and goggles on, they couldn't see the flecks at all, that became part of the gas itself. This would ensure nothing could get through them, especially with what the glass was made with too.

"Close em up." With his order, they sealed the slight gap that the gas had been administered through and placed the frame around the panes, prepping them to be hoisted and set into place where the old windows used to be. He walked to Lena, who passed him a hefty check and shook his hand. "I've got the best of the best in the service on route to here, as you requested."

"Good. See to it their families have everything they need and if they require relocation give me the list and I will see to it there is no issue for them, financial or personal wise. I want my employees and their families taken care of at all costs. How is your son doing?"

"He will be graduating with honors. I appreciate the tutors for that dreadful chemistry course." Lena chuckled nodding. "I hated that class myself. Pointless if you ask me."

"Some colleges require it, depending on the field or career they are looking to delve into. I had my fair share of courses I hated myself." He smirked. "Thanks for everything Mark."

"No, thank you. Richard wants to send you a thank you card and gift. Can you give me any clues?" Lena laughed. "Not gonna give me any are you."

"Nope. That's the fun of it. Tell him I need a good recommendation for restaurants. I'm beginning to hate Noonans." Mark couldn't help but laugh at that shaking his head, watching his boys secure the last three windows.

"I'm surprised you don't buy it." Lena smirked.

"Not a bad idea. Will you be able to do this for my penthouse? I need it for my vehicles and two yachts too."

"The jet? Don't forget that thing." The Luthor shook his hand again. "How's your product line going?"

"It's been pushed through the proper channels and should be out within the end of next Monday. Obsidian Norris' is what will tip the scales. Ms. Rojas will be picking me up for a nice dinner out this eve. I'll leave you a card key, but make sure no one sees you in or out." She whispered to him. Mark nodded, gladly taking the badge when no one was watching. Lena had seen to it that all camera feeds wouldn't pick up the translucent card, smiling at yet another of her wonderful creations on her downtime. She pretended to snuggle up to him, which he played the part quite well, considering he'd been a dozen time fuck for her before.

"Gotta have dinner with me again. Maybe a movie?" One of his men glanced their way and he gave him a stare which made the installer gulp, returning to his task. "I've missed our late evening ventures."

"Hockey game?" His smile got bigger. "Thought so." She took her head off his shoulder and stepped away to straighten her skirt some. That business mask returned and she tended to company matters once more.

"Hurry up! I'm hungry dammit!" Lena took note of this, pushing on the speaker.

"Jess? Hold off on Noonans. Order at our New Yorker."

"You got it Miss Luthor. Will Mr. Devery be giving me their requests?" Mark stepped out, already knowing what his boys preferred. "Hey Mark! Been a while. How are you? How's the kids?" Lena smiled and whistled, pointing the mini fridge under her other desk for the guys who gave her a thumbs up in thanks. She kept plenty of water bottles just in case, returning to a few other tasks, leaving her office to use the empty one down the hall.

Once inside, she shut the door and knew Mark would knock if he needed anything, same with Jess. Lena kept a spare laptop, ipad, desktop, printer and fax in the spare office. Once seated at the spacious half circle desk, she flipped on the massage setting of her chair, adjusting the height of it. Slipping her hand under the desk, she felt for the two switches and flipped them to jam any and all other listening devices the pesky DEO brats might have installed without her knowledge or approval, if need be. Lena smiled and opened her macbook, returning to company business again. A buzz on the desk, where she set her new phone down on, had her already prepared to press the button on her bluetooth keyboard if necessary.

"This is Lena Luthor."

"Ohhhh a voice I wished to hear." She pressed it, returning the hello.

"Acrata.." Lena let go to continue. "Ms. Rojas, how have you been?"

"Marvelous, and you?" Her use of a name not many knew, which she intended to keep that way, already told Andrea all she needed to know.

"I've taken a gander at your proposal. There are a few details I'd like to discuss on the new hard drive for household smart devices."

"One step ahead of you. Dinner, my treat though." She chuckled, shaking her head at the woman who preferred to be in control if she could help it. This, Lena knew and didn't mind surrendering to. Their plans were in motion. Her moves..have been made..

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Three days. Three. Whole. Days. Seventy-six hours had been what it took just to get one word out of her. They had brought pot stickers, pizza, ice cream and all her favorites but she only ate enough to fill her stomach some and that's it. She didn't say anything but please and thank you, not even a smile or glimpse of the Kara Danvers they all know and love. Her new suit hadn't even been touched thanks to Alex, not ready to hand it over until her sister came back to herself in some way. She was a mere shell of who she used to be. It was on day four that Alex had gotten a knock at her door, asking Kelly to answer it, who did just that and saw who was standing in front of her.

"Nia?" Dr. Olsen wasn't sure what was going on, but Dreamer had a look of confound nervousness, warranting Kelly to call to her girlfriend. Alex came out, rubbing her damp short hair with a towel, noticing the expression and immediately her Director side came into view with hardening of her eyes. She sidestepped and tossed the towel into the bathroom with it landing on the counter, returning her focus to them. The attention on the mess of a mane could wait.

"What happened." Danvers had a bad feeling about this, proven when Nia handed her the morning paper, or so she thought, opening it and gasping at the title.

* ----- "CATCO Corporation, TRUTH OR LIE." ----- *

If she had her sister's heat vision there wouldn't be anything left of the damn paper, taking a deep breath before reading out loud.

*----- "Our reporters have uncovered four years of false reports, cash under the table 'so to speak', to criminals to promote the media franchise and none other than Catherine Grant to be the one behind it all. She settled her second divorce out of courts, promising headlines to keep crooked businesses families wealthy if they threatened her ex husband to give up custody of her sons." -----*

Alex looked up at Nia with pure shock at what she was reading. "What?!" Ohhhh someone would be chopped into bits with a rusty saw when she got her hands on them.

"Second to last paragraph on six." The minute Alex scrolled through the rest of the first part, she turned to page six and the continual of the story, as a growl erupted from her throat that had both of them stepping back in slight fear.

*----- "CATCO's very own Reporter Kara Danvers, who had been the one to cook the books for Catherine Grant, receiving payouts under the table in doing so, then becoming a journalist to ensure their scheme continued, is now under close scrutiny for tax fraud, tax evasion, falsifying medical reports, insurance fraud and signing over false checks to her landlord who just recently discovered all monthly rent payments to be money belonging to illegal bookkeepers and bookies. Sources tell us that a warrant for Ms. Danvers' arrest will be issued no sooner then end of this week and she will be required to pay back every penny to the IRS, whether behind bars or not. This is a sad day for.." -----*

Kelly took another step back, never seeing Alex's eyes flare with murderous intentions before. Nia was shaking from it, with the Director shaking for an entirely different reason. The paper had been thrown down, stepped on and forgotten, with Danvers marching over to the sofa and grabbing her phone off the cushion. She was about to make a call when it rang, startling the woman slightly. The jumpy persona disappeared, answering the phone in a boiling rage. "WHAT?!"

"Sorry to call you on your day off Ms. J'onnson. I have a meeting with a client in about ten. We can go over the reports when I come by around four. Will that work for you? I know all eyes are on us for this to be taken care of by the end of the week." Alex was too used to code, already jotting down something, on a notepad at the coffee table, taking a seat on the couch.

"Oh of COURSE Mr. Wilson! You can always COUNT on me. Have a good meeting." She waited until she was off the phone with Winn, going over what was said. "Let's see.."

"What are you doing Alex?" Kelly asked with her and Nia coming over and sitting down on opposite sides of her. "What is.."

"Winn is at Luthor's tower to have a meeting with bitch in heels. He's counted ten security guards, but thinks they aren't legit hires. He wants us to let J'onn know and have Brainy scope it out when the sun is down. He also thinks the cameras we had placed at L-Corp have been tampered with."

"How did you know all.." Alex looked at her girlfriend who smirked, giving away what Kelly hadn't learned yet.

"I was DEO for a while Kel, long before Supergirl. Kara didn't even know until the plane save, that I was on. Winn is like a brother to me and I've learned a few tricks of the trade from him too. Everything he said to me is code. Watch." Danvers typed in a blocked number as a return sender, texting Winn.

~ ~ ~ ~ Ten pages, you owe me Mr. Scotch. 1 - 4 - 5 - 2 # Pin. ~ ~ ~ ~

"English?" Kelly asked.

"Every one of the ten men is on a different camera view we have feeds for. I told him to leave his com under a chair with the foil tape to mask anything from finding it and to see if the pins I left him can be dropped in the office. He's going to leave two tack pins in there, that will keep any of her tech gadgets from jamming ours any further and allowing us the ability to listen in with feeds again. The number he texts me will be the one the scanner inside his pager picks up for a ten by ten radius. That ten by ten space will include any electronic device, such as phone or tablet or computer and when he texts me the number it will be the IP address for them in that room."

"Daaaaang." Nia needed to learn these skills and hoped Alex would teach her.

"He can't record the conversation without being discovered, but if he can take notes he will in shorthand. We gave him the alias Scott W. Wilson as a cover and supplied him a company he works for. He's going to sign everything W, W and a dollar sign with a specially made ink in his pen, that will make it glow when she puts that document in a sealed file cabinet. That ink is actually a marker and every scratch on the paper is tracing an explosive over the indention's. If need be we will blow the room up."

"Scary." Olsen muttered, feeling Danvers squeeze one of her hands

"It's meant to be. We can't have our agency exposed in any way. This was the reason Supergirl wasn't allowed to tell anyone who she was. If they were to uncover her or us, the ends don't justify the means. Luckily, Winn's new look is his ticket in, especially with the contacts he has in his eyes. We gave him brown eyes and the lenses are similar to my sister's kryptonian sight. Things a normal person couldn't dream of being able to see, he can with them."

There was another knock, this time coming from the door leading out to the balcony. Nia moved out of the way to let Alex through, noticing her gun already drawn and a cautious approach to the Director's movements. When it was clear whom was at the door, she holstered her weapon, unlocked and opened the glass door. Supergirl flew in, confusing Kelly and Nia, but that appearance quickly changed, with J'onn's human form standing before them. He wasn't alone, with the cloaking ability fading until the one in his arms was visible. Alex had locked the door and shut the shades quickly, nodding to her space dad who set Kara's sleepy form on her bed gently then stepped back. She gave him a hug and followed him back to the door, whispering something to J'onn and he handed her a small bag explaining it had come from Brainy.

"Her place?" Alex knew this would kill Kara, but her safety was the top priority.

"I've spoken to her landlady not lord and they know her payments are clean. The gentleman that worked alongside her, was taking money from residents when cashing their rental checks. She fired him and contacted authorities. He's missing and my guess is that whoever is responsible for that.." J'onn pointed to the paper on the floor, "...paid him off. I read it." For the first time in a long time, Alex backed up and away from a furious hunter, eyes burning in a powerful red glow. The human form of him slipped away, replaced with his Martian one, taking one last look at both his daughters. "We have agents in disguise, pretending to movers but doing so to set her up in a place not too far from here. You will be able to see it from your balcony, which..Ms. Grant purchased the condo for her." She rubbed her temples.

"Check please." Alex walked J'onn to the main door of her place, unlocking and opening it, giving him a hug then locking up behind him as he left, walking to the bed where her sister lay. She slowly pulled back the Martian's coat, feeling her glasses in the pocket and removing them just as Nia and Kelly came over. Dr. Olsen took them from her girlfriend and set them on the dresser. She could see everything in Alex's posture and the way she looked at Kara. Every ounce of sheer protection was evident, which Nia noticed too when glancing from Kelly to the Director. "Oh Kar. This is my fault." Alex spoke very softly so as not to wake the kryptonian, but the emotion in her voice both heard clear as day. She felt Kelly's arms around her, urging her to lie down with her sister, which the exhausted woman did.

"Rest beautiful." Alex nodded, rolling onto her side and slowly snaking an arm around her sister to pull her closer and be the big spoon like always. She shut her eyes, minutes later giving way to the rest she needed.

When Kelly knew Alex was out, she stood up and motioned for Nia to follow. Dreamer noticed the Director's phone in Dr. Olsen's hand, with them stepping out and onto the balcony. "She needs it." Nia knew what she meant. "I see why J'onn told me how much she pushes the limits of her mind and body. She's so much like a soldier at war."

"Is that your clinical diagnosis?" Nia was making light of the conversation, knowing they both had enough serious for a while. They leaned on the balcony rail, noticing how dim the sky appeared with clouds rolling in. Kelly looked back, listening for either sister. "Kara's been really good to me." Nal began, sharing something with Olsen she felt was calming for them to discuss. The psychologist glanced her way, as if offering her to continue. "I didn't even know everything she had been going through, I just knew I could trust her and that's that. Ms. Grant sent me to CATCO to learn from Kara and work alongside her. I had no clue she knew who she was behind the glasses. It all makes sense now though."

"It does." Kelly was at a loss for words, unable to fathom a fix for everything but calculating the risks to each idea that came to mind. The first question to come to mind though, was what do they do now..?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Ms. Luthor will see you now." The gentleman told him, which he stood and adjusted his business shirt. This burly idiot indeed lead him down the hall and motioned Mr. Wilson into the spacious office, shutting the door behind him. He paid no mind to it, until he heard three heavy clicks behind him, causing Winn to turn around and study the doorway. It was the fourth that had him facing the raven haired CEO, with gun aimed his way. Schott did his best to keep his composure, not expecting the direction this meeting had turned. Instead of flinching, he put his thumb against his palm and with that action, the glove slipped over his hand, which he raised to aim at her. The hum of his, her quick move to pull back the slide of hers and they were both at a standstill.

"Scott W. Wilson? Been quite a while, Toyman's son." Dammit. He was stunned when she lowered her gun and placed it on the desk, taking a seat, relaxing her posture. "Sit."

"Very well." Winn lowered his arm, shifting the glove back into his watch, walking over and taking a seat. He studied the windows, curious to the tint, then watched the shades automatically close. The lights adjusted and with it, his eyes practically burned, which his supposed grimace was her victory.

"Remove the contacts Mr. Scott." He reached into his pocket and retrieved the contacts case. With a heavy sigh, he did as she requested. She held out her hand and he shut the case, turning them over to her. Both smiled at the same time, his hand taking her offered one and kissing the back of it. "Chivalry." He sat back once he gave her, that hand back shaking his head at her feat.

"But of course Mrs. Schott. I wouldn't have it any other way." Their posture was serene, his curiosity looming. "Did you make the call?"

"I did. Acrata is on the board now. A Knight indeed." Winn chuckled just shaking his head.

"Bedded her too?" Lena smirked. "Not surprised."

"Consider it a one time affair with Sinclair. Quite fun. Do they suspect anything?" He shook his head, his smile in place in spades. "Noble King."

"My Queen. They believe me to be that knight in shining armor, ready to save her from everything. They don't need to know I've been back for a while now, nor our future as Husband and Wife. Her madness killed our daughter. I take it all feeds have been redirected."

"Indeed. Can I ask.." Winn shook his head, but Lena understood the reasoning behind his silence. "I figured as much. They never should have underestimated you."

"Our genius holds no bounds." He studied her, leaning forward locking eyes with hers. "You don't want to." Lena's sigh said it all, with her turning away.

"I don't want to…" She looked back at him, sadness in her emeralds. "I will not be her death." She swallowed down, the lump in her throat. "But..I won't be her life either." Lena had to ask, itching to know the truth. "It wasn't...about trust, was it?" He shook his head. "She wanted me safe?" Winn nodded. "She was scared..scared to lose me?"

"Yes. What does it matter? Damage is damage, debt is debt. She deserves it." He adjusted his posture once more, standing and going to the door. "Ready for our take?" Lena nodded, truthfully reconsidering it all, set in her own plan more so than ever now. She had problems with trust, even from the former Legionnaire, flicking the switch he was unaware of, that had recorded everything they had just discussed, sending the first piece of the board to the Director. He would never know, Lena had chosen a side with both Danvers sisters. His moves had brought forth the media frenzy, which she was royally pissed about. He wanted to act? Three. Two. One...ACTION..

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Before he left, he practically spurred her guard dogs to bite. Their training would have to wait though. Switching to his poker face and adjusting his watch, he blew kisses at them, smiling when they growled, as he left the building. In order to ensure everything went precisely to plan, he messaged the Director what was pertinent to their investigation. One rub of his ear and the com had been switched on, sliding to the bike he rented, suiting up in his black safety attire and slipping his helmet on.

"Gotcha Mr. Wilson. How'd the meeting go boss?" He smirked under his helmet, shifting his tones with a heavy sigh with a tid bit of grumbling.

"Nothing useful, though I did learn about a few of her new projects by...hacking her maneframe." He heard her chuckle, followed up with sarcasm.

"So the bitch ain't dirty? TELL ME you got SOMETHING to bury her ass." He drove off in the opposite direction of L-Corp and the DEO. "Tell me."

"Yes Ma'am. I wanted to check on my friend and see how she's doing. Is Nalia with her?" Luckily Alex knew his lingo when he switched.

"Yes Sir. She's been ranting about Diego's birthday on the fifth. She really wants to go. I've told her it's up to you Mr. Wilson, if she gets to go. Did you want to go? Would you like me to go with her? She mentioned getting a new polishing kit for her blue car. She has a garage for a reason. Forgive me for my babbling Sir." He smiled, cranking the speed up a notch on his bike, using an untraceable GPS style map on the dash. 5th and Dora Street...here he comes..

\- - - - - - - - 

The minute she had gotten off the phone with him, she switched gears and professions, informing agents of the game plan. The minute the orders were barked, Alex slipped away towards her office. She intended to listen and see everything Winn had sent her. Something felt off or maybe it was the pounding in her head that was causing her distress. Either way, Danvers was wiped and in desperate need of some shut eye. She typed off a message to Co Director Vasquez and dropped her head on the desk. Alex felt like she had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. Every muscle in her body hurt and the relentless pounding in her skull wasn't helping the situation in the least.

Her phone buzzed to life, warranting the bad mood to shift eighty feet below zero. Whoever was on the other end of that was gonna get her wrath. Alex lifted her head slightly, studying the number, dropping the phone and flipping it off. As if it couldn't get any worse, the sound of PAC MAN's return filled her ears and with the sound of a new file in the inbox, she shoved away the ridiculous object and did her best to straighten up in her seat. He head felt like someone had put it underwater while using sledgehammers to bash it in. Alex found looking at her screen much more difficult, shaking her head and blinking like crazy, hoping that would do the trick.

"Let's see...what we..Kieran L?" Her curiosity helped push back bastard banging in her brain, clicking on the file and noticing there was an attachment with it, along with a brief note.

~ ~ ~ ~ Direct Danvers, let us push these differences aside. I believe this will be useful for your agents down the line. Notes with 7 designs as follows on the books. Wi+h Product'S In mind LoOking for that chang3. ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ - K.L

* ~ In addition I have attached 1 of my persOnal busine$$ card wiTh it, for discussions O.U.T of the OFFICE if you wish to do LuNcH sum time.

She set the pen down and gasped when figuring out the anagram, along with the rest of the message. It had been too easy. - W. I. N. S. L. O. W. - He had shown up..right when they needed him. Alex's phone rang again and this time she answered, knowing her error. Message: For Kara, TOSS the OFFICE ONE OUT.

"Watch my design idea Director Danvers." The voice on the other end wasn't what she thought, but she was lightning fast to open her hidden drawer, turn on the phone with no SIM card, slide a new one in and pretend to knock her own right off the desk.

"Sorry. I dropped my phone. Can you hear me alright?" Alex placed the devices back to back to transfer the call to the other device and with it their conversation continued. She carefully pushed the other one under the desk more completely out of sight from any camera. "You were saying?"

"Here. I'm sure you will like this suit." She watched the screen, not reacting when the message popped up out of the blue, then blinked back to the new DEO agent suit designs.

~ ~ ~ ~ Check your phone. ~ ~ ~ ~

Alex studied the split second message, smiling and knowing certain shades wouldn't pick up on any video feed if there was one installed in her office, on the second phone she kept down enough for her to read but not to be seen any other way. Deep down though, she was cringing.

~ ~ ~ ~ Don't let him near her. Until he left, pissing my security off in the process, I couldn't take a chance of him catching on. Alex he's been here longer than we thought. His lies were his mistake. We can put him in CHECKMATE together. Knight and Bishop for our Queen. He wishes to be the end of her, a ROOKie indeed. He isn't and it WASN'T me that sent that damn bloody Pandora's Box. Warn her and inform her not to open any other presents he might have given her. Keep him away from her. ~ ~ ~ ~

"These suits will please my agents greatly! I look forward to your visit Ms. Kane. We can discuss fees when you arrive. If you will excuse me, I have an errand to run." Once she was off the phone, she messaged Susan on her personal cell and requested she meet her in the locker area. "UGH! No more training exercises today."

Alex wasn't undressing at all, merely slipping into an area where no cameras could be placed, considering it was the women's locker area. Each female agent had a different code and furthermore a retina scan. Once she heard her second in command enter, she whistled to notify Vasquez which stall she was in. The minute Susan had stepped over Alex whispered her message. "Hold down the fort. I need two teams to partner with me, locked down GPS and blockers on their gear. We have a traitor and it ISN'T Lena. Tell them the location to be. Pick the teams yourself, in the hall after radioing them to be silent. Your trust, my follow. Got it?"

"Understood Director Danvers. I take it they are in need of a crash course in your level of training?"

"FRESH VICTIMS HAHAHA!" Alex slipped out after Susan handed her a towel, going into a private boxed changing stall. The minute she was handed another suit, different than the one Winn made but a spinning image of her own, she wrapped it in the towel in a way that looked like just a damp towel for Vasquez to toss in the hamper and retrieve later. Stealth Agents...101. Time to get Lena, the teams and herself to Kara...FAST..

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

He whistled at the fancy digs, stepping over unconscious morons far below any normal IQ. 'Cave Dogs'. Once inside, securing the deadbolts and reaching into his jacket pocket, he set the black two-millimeter disk looking box down and waited for them to swarm out. Instantly, the nanobots rose up and rushed at the slab latching on and spreading until the doorknob, door and door frame were completely covered. They became a solid wall, both inside and out, removing the only logical way in and out.

Setting one small silver disk down at each windowsill, he walked over and noticed her passed out on the rather spacious cozy lighter tan couch. She had a loose simple sky blue t-shirt and a pair of MIT sweatpants on, with busted frame glasses on the coffee table. There were cracks in them, surprising him but he shook it away. She didn't even have those pretty blonde strands pulled back, with a look of sadness on her face.

He sat down on the fine wood slab of the coffee table, reaching out and brushing a few sunlit hairs from her eyes. His touch did what it was supposed to, eyes barely opening but shining nonetheless. He began to gently comb her hair with his fingers, smiling as she did the same.

"Hey there sleepy head. The sun is out today." He pressed the switch on his middle finger ring, changing every clock to ten in the morning. The nanobots had already covered every window in the sweet little sun room, creating glowing beams that depicted the image of sunlight. "I'll tell you what.." Before she could say anything, he had his hands under her, lifting her body up and into his arms. "..let's enjoy it, hmm?" Her head rested against his shoulder and he carried her through the doorway, transporting them, just as the two bottles he brought finished the courtyard illusion. "Let's set you here."

He lowered her onto the fake lounge chair, actually an exam table in his alternate dimension. After the situation with dear not so deceased Luthor, he had taken the time to study every bit of evidence, the chamber, all of it. Lex may be quite smart, but compared to him Winn was decades above his intellect. He whistled, one tune to inform the bots on what to do, seeing her eyes shut and a smile remain in place. "Better?"

"Will you...stay with me?" Kara's voice was like an angels, nearly making his heart beat freely again, but that ship had sailed long ago. The device in his chest was the only thing keeping that organ still working. His design wouldn't give away any other sound, providing the right rhythm to keep her own calm. Winn nodded, walking away and returning with a beach style chair, setting it up beside her. "Winn?" He reached out and took one of her hands in a comforting manner.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking at her with a tiny bit of wonder, aware of the nanobots latching onto her pants and shirt, eating away at it and replacing that attire with the same. She couldn't feel the change, not when the warmth of the fake sunlamps provided her solace.

"Has...the a..um…" Her eyes shut slowly, her head leaning back on the lounge. "Fu.."

"Are you asking me about the future?" He would play along, even as his little nanites found their opening, using her ears, nose and partially open mouth to slip in and travel up into her head. "No future talk Kara, okay?" He set her limp hand down and watched as she slightly nodded. "How is Alex's suit holding up?" She smiled brighter, turning her head towards him, showing opened eyes that no longer had pupils, or blue for that matter. They were like amethyst crystals, shined and brought to life, even as he took hers slowly.

"Likes it." Winn couldn't help but grin. She wasn't even aware of how her voice sounded, as if she had been talking underwater. There was movement under her skin, like tiny worms that slithered around, multiplying as they traveled. "Wit..tt...Wi...mm..n..n...ta...te...I..va..brr..ka.."

"Shhhhh. Relax." He stroked her head one more time, taking out his phone and swiping to a playlist. She always loved a certain sound of the ocean, so he played it and locked it on repeat. Winn switched it to the speakers and let the melody fill the space they were in. He stood up even as her relaxing state deepened, sending her further into the abyss, unlocking the neurotransmitter app set for two. Even if they figured out a way in, which they probably will using brute force, by the time the rescuers came, he would be seven moves ahead of them. The board was his playing field and whether they knew it or not, they weren't of the higher class, but merely pawns to his final play. One would spell the end for her fellow pawn-mate and the other would witness the last move that would take out two pieces causing her to crash down. Once she was unable to move at all, he would sacrifice her for the better cause. A King can rebuild without a damn foolish Queen.

Her head started to hurt, her body got colder but couldn't move. Everything she tried to think about came up blank and her mouth was like a desert, a jaw tight and painful. She couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything. Everything faded, removed from her bit by bit. "Ooooo she's almost here. Your adopted sister is on her way. I can't wait for her to join us, the ALL business lady too. I want to watch the alien loving Director see her sister stripped away before I take everything from her too. Well..from her brain. You see dear little girl of El, I gave her a coffee this morning filled with nanites. The minute she drank it down, those little buggers began to form and morph into stronger nanobots. She's been infected, soon to be...altered."

Winn took a glass of top shelf whiskey off the small table, studying the subject, well aware of the panic. It wouldn't do her a lick of good, knowing that she probably doesn't even know what panic means anymore. "I'm going to give that little rich bitch who refused my company's line, a nice thank you for screwing my future over. See...I told her we were married and had a daughter, that you murdered. I've built up a nice fake memory for the sister that had to take in Superman's trash. You KILLED her ONLY child. See, she was in labor and you flew in. She was sooooo happy to see you and share that moment with you. But you.."

He was surprised she could cry, but here they were. Tears. Winn leaned over Kara, enjoying her pain. "You used heat vision on the womb. She screamed and you burned her child away and any chance of future ones. As she continued to scream and cry and beg why you did it, you walked to Kelly and ripped her head clean off. Then you danced over, took it in both your hands crushed it over her face. You laughed and walked out."

He stood back up and snapped his fingers as the nanobots flew onto the lamp, now a beam in the sun room bathed in red lighting, no longer in his alternate dimension. She was on the floor choking on the nanites that swarmed inside her mouth, forced to stay open by the bot's claws keeping it pried. "This, might hurt." Winn changed the setting on the program for her on his phone, adjusting it so she could see the tiny glowing green pins dangling off of the beam. "Catch." He tapped the green arrow icon and with it every needle-sized sliver of kryptonite fell. One other tap and she was finally able to scream out in sheer horror until he altered her memories of what the glowing crystals were, turning them into a torture technique humanity used. The tone completely changed, sending her further into a never ending nightmare.

"Check.." Dreamer had wrapped her Oneiro Kinetic chains around Winn, even as Brainy used his malleabilities to provide covering over Kara's body like a shield with one arm. His other one shifted into long sharp twisted blades that now sat spinning in front of this traitor's face like bits on a high powered drill. Two muzzles were pressed against his temples, one holding up a remote, the other a jar full of tiny silver spheres.

"..mate." She kept her ice cold greens locked on his face, holding up a small test tube. "My friend Alex here was having such a HORRIBLE headache. Well, It's rather funny that I happened to have a couple advil on me, on our way over here. Wouldn't you know? Those simple painkillers worked!" Lena pushed the end of the gun harder against his skull. "You..USED me. Alex, nor Kara had EVER done that. I was pissed. FUMING pissed. I felt hurt, betrayed...enraged." She flicked her gaze to the Director's. "I felt like nothing but a fool. I felt empty. I allowed myself to be vulnerable with her, with Alex, with this family. Kara never stopped believing in me. I thought about when we went into Juru together. I thought about how scared Supergirl was. It was a fear not of me or what I made really. It was a fear called home. The last remnants of her home, a place destroyed in the process, is poisonous to them. It could be a memory of Krypton, of their place of origin. But it was also a way to feel, even if it was a sensation of pain."

Once Brainy reprogrammed everything, after Nia had forced the watch, rings and bracelet cuff off of him and all the little bots dropped to bathe the room in pure sunlight, J'onn took his kryptonian daughter into his arms to fly out. Brainy ripped the Legion ring off of Winn's finger as Dreamer used her chains like handcuffs tightening more and more, until very uncomfortable for him.

"Lena." Alex wanted to do the same, wanted to pull the trigger so badly, but when she lowered her gun, came around and touched her friend's arm, tears rolled down the woman's face.

"I understand now." They waited until Brainy and Nia ushered the prisoner out, then took the hand of the other, guns still in the opposite one. "I do Alex." Every last bit of energy was used up and left her worn and emotion stricken body. She had tried, tried to terminate those feelings, that hurt, until there was nothing left but a business woman and company owner, without the only show of a troublesome thing she hated most. Humanity. She wanted to...so SO badly forget all of it. Lena had failed to do and for once in her, that failure was a relief.

She knew the exact moment the one she still felt anger at, now sadness for, had turned into something of a protective nurturing nature. Her fractures were temporarily repaired, her thoughts kept shifting, but even as Alex picked Lena up bridal style, she reached deep down inside herself mustering up her last bit of strength to carry the CEO out and to one of the DEO vehicles. Merely a hundred feet away, her knees buckled and if it hadn't been for a couple of trusted agents, she and the woman cradled against her chest would have tumbled to the ground.

Brainy lifted Lena, Nia lifting Alex, with them climbing up into the back of their ride, as they listened for news on Kara's condition. Lucy had caught the first flight out, most likely already at the agency and offering Amelia all the help she can get. Kelly had rushed over, offering to join Alex but knew this was something her girlfriend had to do. James had been pulled from Guardian patrol, with Maggie taking to the streets to help out the local authorities. She had kept in contact with Lane, adding harmless flirting to the mix. Their views on the Luthor hadn't changed and probably never will until she made amends in their eyes, to their standards.

All hopes and prayers went out to their symbol of hope, who fought to survive everything forced upon her. She may still have a pulse, her heart still pumping, but as for the rest..only time would tell..


	4. Chapter 4

*----- "Media Queen Catherine Grant, CATCO & Reporter Kara Danvers CLEAR of ALL Charges!" -----*

The article made the front page, TOP story of National City's main paper. It wasn't the only place to make headlines, along with five stations contacting CATCO for an exclusive with Cat and Kara. Ms. Grant had to work some magic, along with J'onn using his kryptonian daughter's form. One of Lucy's pals had staged an elaborate, convincing showcase, using all of the military and DEO resources to pull off the scheme of a lifetime.

With J'onn J'onzz, Nia Nal and acting CEO of CATCO James Olsen, they had worked both photos and video of a hospital bed ridden Kara. The truth wasn't far off at all, considering Zor-El was still on a similar bed, just in a completely different setting. Brainy had set up a dandy portal device like the one the Flash had given to Supergirl. Lena replicated it and they placed two towers in her private lab and two more at the Fortress of Solitude. Alex had been tempted to contact Argo, with Brainy's aid, to speak to Superman, but opted out for now considering Lois was pregnant. The Luthor's shock was clear as day, the moment Danvers told her they were going to the fortress. Kelly and Amelia helped transport the hero to where Alex and Lena were waiting.

Lucy took up the mantle at the DEO, again, for the time being, while watching Susan kick James' ass in the training room. Olsen had given a public statement that the suit he wore as Guardian had been destroyed and a different one was in the works. The media circus and public had bought the story, until he showed up out of the blue with just that. Considering he was good friends with both Supers, the Director had handed over the design to Brainy, for a specific reason.

The Legionnaire did James' new attire justice, shocking Guardian when he created a darker blue and smoke silver suit, using Schott Jr.'s original schematics. The first time Mr. Olsen came out and into the lights of the rest of the agency, his ex now un-ex had her buddies escorted him to the waterfront. In both a tribute and honor to his greatest hero, Supergirl, he spoke about what an impact the Symbol of Hope had been in his life. Under the suit resided his DEO agent one, with a band etched on the right wrist of a Guardian glove, bearing the crest of Kara's family. He wore it with pride with the hope, she gave to him and everyone else, that she would awaken from her mind cage.

Alex was Lena's reminder to eat, get needed sleep and take breaks, as was Lena to Alex. They were switching off of coffee, opting for tea instead, using the espresso maker only for breakfast. Both had quit drinking, too focused on helping the one that had changed their lives for the better. Between them, there was a mutual understanding and quashed animosity. Alex had wanted to kick her ass multiple times, where Lena had the urge to slap if not sock the Director more often than not. They motivated each other, pushed away all the negative, instead steering towards the positive. If their minds became filled with doubt, there would be no hope left.

Conversations were passed back and forth and Lena told Alex about Andrea Rojas. Director Danvers had been quick to contact Lane, explaining what was going on and to look into Obsidian Tech with absolute precision. Lucy was on it in a heartbeat, gaining assistance by Alex's ex fiance and buddies at the squad where she had worked before. Maggie had been bummed out that the current acting Director was back in Olsen's bed. Sawyer didn't blame her though, regretting her own decisions, rolling her eyes at the irony of both women with the siblings. She asked Susan to pass on a message to the fiance she lost and an apology to the business woman she had kept a grudge with.

Dreamer and the Martian Manhunter, in Supergirls form, had taken up patrol while James trained with Susan and Lucy remained at the helm. Brainy was working several different formulas on digital boards, going through the portal when he had a possible idea to the problem. Alex and Lena were going through the kryptonian database, both had studied to understand, in a language sacred to Krypton's people. Kelly would pop in every now and then, shocked at the living quarters so familiar to that of a real house. She transported everything they needed and more, given Alex when the woman needed sleep.

"I've got her. Thanks Lena." She nodded, watching Kelly carry her through the smaller portal which was already set for them to enter Alex's place. Lena waited until they were gone, setting the tablet down, requesting Kelex to keep watch, which he always would and headed to where her best friend was. It was incredible what the fortress offered, grateful for such considering how long she had been there. Lena had contacted Jess, requested a private line and discovered how intelligent the woman really was. Her secretary, current acting CEO of L-Corp, had pieced everything together but assured the businesswoman that knowledge was safe, prepared for the NDA forms that would come her way.

The minute she entered the warm rather comfortable room, Lena felt her heart tremble. Kara lay on a rather comfortable foam-like mattress, that conformed to her body in a way that made the Luthor want the damn thing too. As cozy as it was, the sight before her eyes was nearly too much. Zor-El was dressed in a white and offwhite gown, a dress that bore the crest that Lena had admired, respected, hated, then appreciated even more. Kara hadn't kept this from her because of her name, this she finally understood and what had she done? Broken her BEST FRIEND...her best..friend.

"Hi darling." Lena meant it, taking up a higher reclining chair that resided next to the bed. She had been given, by Kelex, a cream white silver colored gown similar to the one Kara wore. The crest of EL, like a badge over the heart, was engraved in silver and a strange outline of emerald. The A.I. told her that it had been made for her, the year prior and was to be kept at the fortress until Kara herself brought Lena there.

She reached out and took one of Zor-El's hands, stroking her thumb over those knuckles. There was a breathing mask over the blonde's nose and mouth. An IV with fluids and nutrients was administered at the right times of the day and night. "Kara...Supergirl..I'm...I'm so sorry.."

Lena didn't care about the heavy sobs she let free, with her head on her best friend's stomach. She felt responsible for it all and didn't feel worthy of having Kara in her life. She wept for every cruel thing spoken from her lips at this beautiful angel. She cried and cried, begging this hero, her hero, to return to her. Her apologies she figured hadn't changed anything, except for the vitals that seemed to level out every time Lena was near. She began to think, her best friend was letting her know somehow that it was okay. "Please...please come back to me."

It was selfish for her to say, but Lena didn't care. She wanted her best friend back. She wanted their lunches and Netflix nights. She needed those beautiful blue eyes and bright smile that only Kara wore, shown to her again.

Despite what was being pumped into the kryptonian, the lamps that offered those solar cells replenishment, Kara hadn't moved much at all. She had come to a little more than a dozen times, looking around at the fortress, at Alex and Lena then to Kelex. The length of time she remained conscious varied, depending on whether she cried or not. Zor-El hadn't said a word at all and after further evaluation, her best friend knew why.

Lena had informed Alex, with both of them running to the dash and requesting a scan of the inside of Kara's throat. After it was done and the results were up on the screen, both were mortified. The kryptonian's pharynx and larynx were gravely damaged, lining and cartilage showing severe trauma. Alex believed it to be kryptonite,where Lena suggested the nanobots had been what did the deed. They were both right.

Alex had contacted Kelly and Amelia, asking Lucy's expertise too, with five of them studying the charts carefully. Dr. Olsen and Hamilton were still blown away by the sheer wonder of the fortress, as was the acting Director Lane. They requested two other scans, using different forms of light the database of Krypton had. Danvers was still amazed at the advances her sister's world had, compared to the medical end of things by Earth's standards. Amelia was itching to explore this later, but focused on the now and helping Supergirl out. Lucy pointed out where the UES had been infected.

"It's here." She pointed to the 3D image at the main table. She used the dial on the dashboard to turn it around for them, tilting it forward to show what she meant. "Here."

"Her upper esophageal s- took the damage. Got it." Alex slipped over to the dash, slightly barking at Kelex to bring up ways to repair the muscles in her sister's throat without further harm. "I need any and ALL information regarding a myotomy." Lena walked over, as did Kelly, with Amelia and Lucy checking on Kara. Alex's girlfriend pulled her back against her body, kissing her shoulder and leaving them both to where she knew they shined. Kelly was no fool, noticing the intellect Alex had compared to Lena. She also wanted to sit with Kara for a while, talk to her and share everything, she somehow knew the kryptonian listened to.

Before any other information became available, an AI appeared of a man that one of the two women recognized. This man was dressed in more of an azure blue long sleeved shirt, bearing the House of El crest. His wavy light brown nearly blonde hair was curved over and away from a set of eyes that nearly had Lena stumbling backwards at their intense stare. Almost greyish-silver in those blues, yet all business, something she had in common with this figure.

"Alexandra, from the house of.."

"That's alright Zor El. Alex is fine. I need your help. What do you know of a procedure called a myotomy." The man's expertise made the CEO's head spin. Their race was profound and that brain of Lena's wished to discover everything in the damn system if she would be allotted such a privilege, not even sure Kara would want anything to do with her after this.

They listened and with the assistance of Kelex, who led them to the machine to create the tools they would need, all five prepared the station for the procedure. Besides the jaw drops in absolute amazement of rendered instruments and devices made up of kryptonian rocks and minerals, crafted to perfection, they had one mission and one only. Give BACK what had been taken from Kara Zor-El..

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Superb!" James itched to roll his eyes in the new Guardian suit, deemed nice by Ms. Grant. She only gave the fancier name for the reporters as he let Nia interview him. Olsen was proud of his friend, giving her credit where credit was, definitely due. Kara had taught the inspiring beautiful hero well. Nia was living up to if not surpassing even Cat's original expectations of her. He spoke of Supergirl, of Dreamer, of the Martian Manhunter and the team they have made. He paid tribute to his friend Kara Danvers, who fought to come back to them all and lead CATCO when she did. James explained the reason for Lena Luthor's absence, was her sheer determination to help her best friend heal quicker. With his ex's approval, they had decided the man responsible for the intentional crash that left Miss Danvers in the state she was in, was none other than Toyman's son.

The bastard had met the fists and fury of Lane and Sawyer, who had no issue with stripping off the badge, slipping into black suits with black ski masks and unleashing all of hell's wrath on the monster. Lucy hadn't gone easy after the first few hits, informing him of how he wasn't EVER worthy of James Olsen's friendship. She kneed him in the balls and reminded him of the anatomy that went with what she probably crunched. Maggie was next and she gave her ex a good show, with Lucy holding the phone up to record, reminding him he sentenced his fate the MINUTE he had touched Little Danvers. They went back and forth, blow after blow, snapping things while dislocating them. He wasn't ever going to see daylight again, especially not after Lane dumped acid into his eyes and shoved a urine soaked rag in his mouth to muffle his agonizing howls. Sawyer sent off the video for their little group, wishing Danvers the best with Dr. Olsen, who had touched the Director's heart and offered her that option of family. Maggie was happy for her, hugging Lucy after they got cleaned up and telling her to keep in touch. She exited shortly after and held onto the hope of happiness in the future for herself.

Cat stood next to Guardian and shook his gloved hand, noticing the crest on the outside of his wrist as well as the badged one she reached up to trace on the right arm of his suit close to the shoulder. Pictures were taken, the story was published and all of CATCO sent good thoughts and prayers to Kara Danvers. Nia, Brainy and James gathered up the Get Well cards, flowers, balloons and gifts, letting Cat know they would keep her up to date on any news about..Keira.

\- - - - - - - - - - 

Their destination was the DEO, where Supergirl rested under the solar lamps. Once cleared from the fortress, with all information stored, Lena and Alex returned to base and the new sunroom the Luthor had built. Instead of the sun bed like before, Lena constructed a room similar to the one at the FOS. She couldn't get the schematics for the damn cushioned mattress, kinda wanting it for later on too, but with a few heavy purchases, she had everything flown in from overseas for what she had in mind.

Lena and Alex rebuilt the lamps, adjusting the wattage and precision of them correctly. Brainy had put in his own 'two-hundred and twenty-two thousand' cents, which they figured would happen, however his ideas were welcome. Just like ventilation blinds, these metal shades would not only open for the solar light but fresh clean oxygen for Supergirl. This was what they needed to finally remove the mask and oxygen tank Kara had been on for so long. Too long. The adjustable platform allowed them to raise up the bed, set it forward and recline the back to give her the ability to not only get in and out but be comfortable at the same time.

At first, only one person was allowed in at a time, no one complaining about Alex being the one at the head of the line. The minute the french doors shut behind her, while she held two fruity iced beverages, she took a seat next to her sister and handed her the colorful insulated cup. Alex smiled and Kara slightly smiled back, slowly raising the drink and putting her lips on the straw.

"You gotta stop bailing on me Kar." The blonde drank a little and lowered the cup resting it on her leg. Alex looked at her dead on, with her chair turned towards her sister. "Wanna talk?"

~ ~ "Always waiting for something,

~ ~ Searching for one thing..

~ ~And I know it has to be there somewhere.

"I..heard her." Danvers already knew who the her was. "National City needs..her. Not..me."

~ ~ On this show without knowing,

~ ~ The way this is going..

~ ~ As long as it takes me anywhere..

Alex couldn't believe what she was hearing, not realizing her private com was still on, with Lena listening in from the chair outside, same as Kelly, Lucy and Nia. "Please Lexy...protect her."

~ ~ There's life and there's one dance,

~ ~ There's fate and there's one chance..

~ ~ To find out who I wanna be,

~ ~ And I know it's inside of me."

The Director watched tears run like rivers down her sister's face. "She..she's.." Alex finally noticed her com on, but chose not to click it off, feeling it the right thing to do by letting it remain as it was.

"If you had a chance, to tell Lena everything, what would you say." Kara took a deep breath and coughed some. "Take a few sips and tell me. Okay?" The kryptonian nodded and tried to adjust the bed so she could sit up more, but Danvers motioned with her hands to keep it as it is.

~ ~ "I look to the far side,

~ ~ Searching for daylight..

~ ~ Something that is mine, all my own.

"I.." Kara took another sip and shut her eyes, thinking about the right words to say. "I would say..with her..I can be human. I can just..be..normal."

~ ~ But loving in hindsight,

~ ~ That won't work for my life..

~ ~ Let me forget all that went wrong...

She continued to sip her drink, not wanting to get this wrong. "She gave me humanity and I took hers. I know you've always been my rock Alex. You know that too. I..I lost you. I lost you because of who I am. I thought it would be nice to just be human in your eyes. It wasn't. That's on me. Don't carry that guilt Lexy. Hand it over. I'm sorry..you had..to remember..the way you did. You listened to silence and that's also on me. All I wanted to do was go to her, break down, share it all. Nia is an amazing friend and I'm glad I did what I did with her. I tried to SAVE him. I held on..he...used his...suit..forced.."

"You tried to save Lex." Alex was stunned.

~ ~ There's life and there's one dance,

~ ~ There's fate and there's one chance..

~ ~ To find out who I wanna be,

~ ~ And I know it's inside of me..

"I did. He didn't want any of my help..because...I'm that. I was angry when you brought her in. I wanted to lash out, but I didn't. I left her with my Mom and Aunt Astra. I left her. I promised to always be there. I promised. You've always been the rock, the big sis and my best friend. She's..my light."

~ ~ There's love in so much more

~ ~ That waits behind that door

~ ~ There's so much that I wanna see

~ ~ And I know it's inside of me."

Kara went to wipe the tears away but just couldn't find it right to, letting them continue down her face. "I would tell her..take it. I would tell her, I'm sorry. I would tell her I never..deserved her. I would tell her...I would tell her..Uwedh Osh Khap. Fly..fly for me. I'd say, Rrip Kehp Weprynz. You have wings. I would tell her..Nahkluv. Thank you angel. I..can't remember how to say angel in kryptonese. So I will say it this way. Go raibh maith agat Rao as a sheoladh chugam Lena. You sent..me Lena, Rao. Thank you."

"Go raibh maith agat Rao." Alex stepped back, walking out and putting a hand on Lena's shoulder before she left. The business woman was dressed in simple DEO agent attire meant for drills and training, which she had quite a few times, slowly making her way over to the bed where a set of cerulean wonders watched her approach. "Zhindif Rao.. please Rao, Sokao..can.. Zhed..she.." Lena replaced Alex's touch with her own, taking such a powerful yet gentle hand. "Lig Rao di fanacht liom."

"Can..I stay?" Lena nodded, not able to hold back her own tears and lunging forward wrapping her arms around her best friend, nodding again and tucking her face into the crook of Kara's neck.

~ ~ "There's life and there's one dance,

~ ~ There's fate and there's one chance..

~ ~ To find out who I wanna be,

~ ~ And I know it's inside of me..

"Forgive me Kara..please..please forgive me." She wouldn't ever extinguish the light Kara believed her to be. Lena would never be this bitch to her best friend.

~ ~ There's love in so much more

~ ~ That waits behind that door

~ ~ There's so much that I wanna see

~ ~ And I know it's inside of me..

"Lena?" The woman pulled back enough to meet beautiful blues with her emeralds. "I like, being vulnerable..with you. I give that. I show that. Always..with you."

~- -~ It's inside of me..

"Zhindif..Vot Rrip." They whispered to one another. All secrets were out, left with nothing but truth and trust. Both Lena and Kara had wanted this, all along. It was in that moment, with vulnerability showing between them, that they realized..it wasn't such a bad thing..after all..

~- -~ Oh, it's inside of me."

* * * * * - End - * * * * * 

SONG:

\- 3 Doors Down: "Inside of Me"


End file.
